Emeritus Professor Prema-chandra Athukorala has been named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours List, recognising his significant contributions to tertiary education and his distinguished work in international trade and development economics.
He is among 948 Australians honoured this year for outstanding service across fields including academia, public service, science, the arts, sport and community engagement.
Announcing the awards, Governor-General Sam Mostyn praised the recipients for their lasting impact, saying their work across academia, industry and public life continues to shape the nation.
Based in Canberra, Professor Athukorala is Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University, where he served in the Arndt-Corden Department of Economics from 2001 until his retirement in 2020. Earlier, he taught at La Trobe University and began his academic career at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Sri Lanka.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has become internationally recognised for his research in trade and development economics, particularly in areas such as globalisation, trade policy, international production networks, economic growth, financial crises and labour migration.
His academic work has influenced policy discussions and research across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. He has also worked as a consultant for major organisations including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Labour Organization and the Government of Sri Lanka.
Professor Athukorala has held visiting roles at several global institutions, including the University of Manchester, Copenhagen Business School, Hitotsubashi University and Johns Hopkins University.
A Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia since 2003, he has also contributed extensively as an editor for leading international economics journals.
His recognition reflects a long and impactful career dedicated to advancing economic knowledge and informing global development policy.