Annual Report
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UNIVERSITY OF COLOMBO SRI LANKA ANNUAL REPORT 22000088 Our VISION “Strive to be a centre of excellence of regional and international repute, building synergies between knowledge, education, research and entrepreneurship” Our MISSION “To be a center of excellence in teaching and research, with commitment to producing human talents of high standards and social responsibility who are innovative with independent thinking and analytical skill contributing to national development ” CONTENTS Page Part I General 01 Part II Appointment & Staff Information 07 Part III Student Profile 12 Student Welfare Facilities 12 Mahapola Scholarships 12 Bursaries 12 Hostel Accommodation 13 Admission of Students 15 Health Centre 17 Physical Education 18 Part IV Examination 20 Part V Reports of Faculties, Campus and Centres 31 (01) Faculties 31 01. Arts 31 02. Education 39 03. Law 44 04. Management & Finance 46 05. Medicine 49 06. Science 59 07. Graduate Studies 64 (02) Campus – Sripalee 69 (03) Centres 73 01. Career Guidance Unit 73 02. Centre for the Study of Human Rights 75 03. Colombo University Community Extension Centre 77 04. Magampura Agro Technology & Community Service Centre 79 05. National Education Research & Evaluation Centre 84 06. Staff Development Centre 86 Part VI Library 90 Part VII Buildings 93 Part VIII Maintenance of Lands & Buildings 95 Part IX Transport Services 98 Part X Internal Audit finance & Accounts 99 FOREWORD His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis, Arch Bishop of Colombo, continued to be the Chancellor of the University. Professor Kshanika Hirimburegama, Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo on 2nd January, 2008 for a period of three years, having been appointed by His Excellency the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Mr. D.P.L.J. Nanayakkara was appointed as the Acting Registrar from 11th September 2008 consequent to the Registrar, Mrs. W.H.R. Hussain being sent on compulsory leave by the Council of the University with effect from 10th September 2008. Mrs. Pushpa Bandara, the Bursar of the University, retired from service with effect from 31st December 2008 and Mrs. K.S.T. Swarnalatha, Deputy Bursar was appointed by the Council as Acting Bursar. With the completion of tenure of office as Council members, six new members and three members who already served in the Council were appointed as members of the Council in July 2008, by the University Grants Commission. Professor Dulitha Fernando, completed her term of office as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Professor D.M.S.S.L. Dissanayake relinquished his position as Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies to take sabbatical leave. Professor Harshalal Seneviratne, Senior Professor and Head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology was elected as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine with effect from 08th August 2008 and Professor K.S. Chandrasiri, Professor in the Department of Economics was appointed as Acting Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies with effect from 25th August 2008 and later appointed as the Dean of the Faculty with effect from 17th December 2008. Professor Amal Jayawardane, Mr. N. Selvakkumaran, Professor S. Sandarasegaram, Dr. P.S.M. Gunaratne and Professor T.R. Ariyaratne continued as Deans of the Faculties of Arts, Law, Education, Management & Finance and Science, respectively. Mr. W.N. Wilson completed his term of office as Rector of the Sri Palee Campus in March 2008 and Dr. Tudor Weerasinghe, Head, Department of Mass Media of the Campus was appointed as Acting Rector of the Campus with effect from 14th March 2008. During the year, the University’s Corporate Plan was reviewed and the revised Corporate Plan (2008-2012) was ready for submission to the Council, the Governing body of the University and to the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE). The year 2008 marked several significant achievements with respect to academic excellence, physical infrastructure development as well as non-academic administration. The University was not closed for studies and academic activities except a few weeks for the Faculty of Arts. Almost all Faculties in the University were committed to building strong alliances and partnerships with the industry and professional organizations in order to achieve their mission. For the first time, a Newsletter giving the latest information of the University was published. Three Issues of the Newsletter were released during the year. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Distance Educational Modernization Project (DEMP) of the Ministry of Education to introduce systems of multimode delivery of educational instruction. Establishment of a Nodes Access Centre (NAC) at the University of Colombo was commenced. Several e-learning Certificate and Postgraduate Courses were initiated. The University-industry-community interaction was strengthened and the cells were initiated to conduct need based research to the industry and community. New Masters Degree programmes were introduced. Duel mode delivery methods and instructions by using multi mode learning technologies such as, e-learning and m- learning were introduced. Almost all the Faculties have paid significant attention to restructuring their degree programmes by undertaking curriculum reforms and development and student evaluations. The internship training was provided for undergraduates in the Faculties of Arts, Laws, Management & Finance and Science. The Faculties of Arts, Science and Medicine have completed the subject review and underwent quality assurance by Quality Assurance Accreditation Council of the Ministry of Higher Education. A landmark development in the Faculty of Law at its 60th anniversary was the move towards creation of three academic departments in three branches of the Law. It is expected that this would accelerate the learning momentum of both undergraduates as well as postgraduates. Inspired by the vision to develop the best medical school in South Asia, the Faculty of Medicine took several measures both development of existing physical infrastructure as well as the learning environment for medical undergraduates. For the first time, an International Unit of the University of Colombo (IUUC) was established in 2008 to develop partnerships with foreign Universities and Centres of academic excellence, with the aim of strengthening staff and student training, curriculum development, collaborative research, mobility, diversity and cultural exchange. MOUs have been signed with a number of Universities including Georgia State Universities (U.S.A.), La Trobe University (Australia), Uppsala University (Sweden), Kings College (London), UN University for Peace (Costa- Rica), University of Oslo (Norway) and University of Gadja Mada (Indonesia). These agreements cover dual degree programmes, development of Distance and Virtual Learning Courses and the institutional development with international partner organizations. Amongst the flagship programmes of the IUUC, the student mobility programmes, with the provision for credit transfers to the degree courses have been successfully launched. The total undergraduate population increased from 8803 (2007) to 8894, in 2008. This excludes 27 displaced students from the University of Jaffna. The data on undergraduate admission in 2008 reflected that the majority of new entrants (40 %) from the district of Colombo. The same phenomenon was seen last year as well. The demographic pattern of undergraduate enrolment in the University of Colombo indicated 62 % of them are females. The piling work of the 14 storied Pre-Clinical Medicine Building Complex Project at a cost of Rs. 192 m was near completion. The De Saram Student Hostel (Rs. 163 m) Project and Clinical Medicine & Auditorium (Rs. 133.77 m) works were in progress and these Projects are expected to be completed during first half of the year 2009. The UGC approved six building projects to the University in 2008. The Government Grant for the year 2008 was Rs. 956.50 m while the University generated income was Rs. 79.32 m. The University was able to reduce its reliance on Government Grants, with regard to operational activities except for personal emoluments, supplies and utilities. This was achieved by promoting consultancy services through projects and increasing the earning capacity from postgraduate courses. During the latter part of the year, the University created an opportunity for intellectual inquiry and discourse by organizing the University’s Inaugural Annual Research Symposium during 24-25 October 2008. The Senate concurred with the theme of the Symposium for academic excellence - ‘The Knowledge Economy: The role of the Universities.’ It was envisaged that the Research Symposium and Academic sessions would pave the way for development through synergizing knowledge, education and research. At the Symposium over one hundred research papers were presented. The thematic technical sessions included themes such as, Quality improvement of School Education in the nation; Science, Creativity and Development; Role of postgraduate education in a modern Knowledge-based economy etc. The Faculty of Law successfully conducted academic sessions under the theme Law in Context: An Agenda for Reform concurrently with their 60th Anniversary Celebrations. It is envisaged that these measures would create a healthy research culture in the University. Welfare society was reactivated and several welfare programme were carried out. Discussions were initiated to