University of Colombo

The University of Colombo (Sinhalese: කොළඹ විශ්වවිද්‍යාලය, Tamil: கொழும்புப் பல்கலைக்கழகம்) (informally Colombo University or UoC) is a public research university located primarily in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The oldest institution of modern higher education in Sri Lanka, it is also the largest university in the island,specialised in the fields of natural, social, and applied sciences as well as mathematics, computer sciences, and law. It is ranked among the top 10 universities in South Asia.

The University of Colombo was founded in 1921 as University College Colombo, affiliated to the University of London. Degrees were issued to its students from 1923 onwards. The university traces its roots to 1870 when the Ceylon Medical School was established.UoC has produced notable alumni in the fields of science, law, economics, business, literature, and politics.

The university is a state university, with most of its funding coming from the central government via the University Grants Commission (UGC). Therefore, as with all other state universities in Sri Lanka, the UGC recommends its vice-chancellor for appointment by the President of Sri Lanka and makes appointments of its administrative staff. Its motto is "Buddhih Sarvatra Bhrajate", which means "Wisdom shines forth everywhere" in Sanskrit.

With a student population of over 11,000, the university is made up of seven faculties with 43 academic departments and eight other institutions. Most faculties offer both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, with some offering courses for external students and distance-learning programs.

The university occupies an estate of 50 acres 200,000 m2 in the heart of the city of Colombo known as Cinnamon Gardens. The administrative center of the university is the College House, which houses the office of the vice-chancellor. Its period architecture is a city landmark.

The College House, the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) and the Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IBMBB) are located along Kumarathunga Munidasa Mawatha (formally Thurstan Road) between Queens Road and the India House. Situated between the Thurstan Road and Reed Avenue is the iconic Old Royal College Building, King George Hall, New Arts Theatre, sports ground along with the buildings of the science faculty and the University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC). On the other side of the Reed Avenue is the university library flanked by the arts and law faculty buildings along with the gymnasium.

The estate includes several properties outside Cinnamon Gardens, such as the Faculty of Medicine which is located at Kynsey Road opposite the Colombo General Hospital in close proximity to the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine located at Norris Canal Road. The Institute of Indigenous Medicine is located in the suburbs of Colombo in Nawala. In addition, there are several properties outside Colombo, including the Sri Palee Campus in Wewala, Horana and the Institute of Agro Technology and Rural Science in Hambantota.

The origins of the University of Colombo begins with the establishment of the Ceylon Medical School in June 1870, it was the second European medical school to be established in South Asia. In 1880 the school was raised to the status of college, thus becoming the Ceylon Medical College which permitted it to award the Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS) which continued until the late 1940s. In 1889 the College was recognised by the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom when holders of its license became eligible to practice in Great Britain.

The Ceylon University Association (CUA) was formed in 1906 by a group of western educated elite including Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam, Sir James Peiris and Sir Marcus Fernando.Owing to the persistent demands of the CUA the government decided in 1913 to set up a University college.

The Faculty of Medicine building and the Koch Memorial Clock Tower on Kynsey Road

Arguments regarding the nature and status of the institution to be set up, its location, and the outset of World War I halted the establishment process until 1920 when the government purchased a private mansion called the Regina Walawwa which later came to be known as College House for the purpose of setting up the University College under the recommendations of Sir Edward Denham.

The Ceylon University College was formally declared open in January 1921 in the building that was originally the main building of Royal College Colombo located on Kumarathunga Munidasa Mawatha (formally Thurstan Road) opposite College House. The University College was affiliated to the University of London and prepared students for University of London external degrees which were jointly examined. Even though this fell short of a full university for Ceylon, it proved a platform to develop the academia required for a university. It had two departments: Arts and Science.

The University of Ceylon was established on 1 July 1942 by the Ceylon University Ordinance No.20 of 1942 which was passed by the State Council of Ceylon amidst World War II and threat of Japanese invasion. The Ceylon University College and the Ceylon Medical College were combined to form the University of Ceylon, with its administration based at College House and ability to grant its own degrees. The two departments of Arts and Science of the University College were upgraded to faculties, the Medical College became the faculty of medicine and a new faculty of Oriental Studies was established at Cruden House. The university library was based at Villa Venezia in Queens Road. Residential facilities were provided at the Union Hostel with three halls of residence Jayatilleke and Arunachalam based at Guildford Crescent and Queens Hall (Q Hall or Women's hostel) along with two other hostels named Brodie and Aquinas.

Following the completion of new buildings at Peradeniya, departments of Law and Agriculture and department of Veterinary Science, were transferred out of Colombo to Peradeniya in 1949, however the department of law was brought back to Colombo in 1965. Later in 1952, the faculties of Arts and Oriental Studies were moved to Peradeniya too along with sections of the university administration and library. Two halls of residence, Jayatilleke hall and Arunachalam hall were transferred to Peradeniya too. A Faculty of Engineering was established in 1950 was later transferred to Peradeniya in 1965.

Sections of the University of Ceylon, functioned in Colombo and Peradeniya acted as campuses of the same university until 1966. But in 1966, these campuses were split into two. The section located in Colombo was known as the University of Ceylon, Colombo, while the section located in Peradeniya was known as University of Ceylon, Peradeniya.