ProfessorMadhusanka Liyanage

I have over 15 years of teaching, curriculum development and student supervision experience across undergraduate, Master’s and doctoral education. My teaching has included modules at University College Dublin, the University of Oulu, the University of Moratuwa, Yangon Technological University and Thammasat University, covering network security, cybersecurity, wireless networking, 5G/6G, cloud-edge computing, computer architecture, programming, engineering design and telecommunications.

At UCD, I have designed, coordinated and delivered modules including Network Security, Trends in Cybersecurity, Advances in Wireless Networking, Research Practicum, Final Year Project: Design and Implementation, and Computer Architecture and Organisation. My teaching combines research-led learning, hands-on laboratories, industry case studies, problem-based learning and AI-assisted learning. Students engage with contemporary technologies and practical environments, including 5G/O-RAN testbeds, network security experiments, simulations, and real-world cybersecurity use cases.

I have also contributed to postgraduate curriculum development at the University of Oulu and Yangon Technological University, including the modernisation of communications network modules with content on SDN, NFV, MEC, IoT, 5G/6G, and network security. I hold a Docentship/Adjunct Professorship in Security of Softwarized Networks at the University of Oulu, awarded in recognition of teaching, graduate supervision, and research funding capability.

To date, I have supervised or co-supervised 25 doctoral students, 18 Master’s students and 12 postdoctoral researchers across institutions in Ireland, Finland, Sri Lanka, Belgium and India. My supervision focuses on helping students develop both technical depth and independent research skills in areas such as AI security for 6G, explainable AI, blockchain, Open RAN security, intrusion detection and privacy-preserving federated learning. I received the Irish Research Council Research Ally Prize in 2021, 2023 and 2024 in recognition of my mentorship and positive impact as a supervisor.

My teaching philosophy is centred on creating an inclusive, supportive and research-active learning environment where students can connect theory with practice, build confidence through experimentation, and develop the skills needed for careers in industry, innovation and academic research.