UNIVERSITY OF COLOMBO SRI LANKA ANNUAL REPORT 2018 1 Our Vision To be a center of global excellence in education, research and stakeholder engagement to enrich human potential for the betterment of society 2 Our Mission To discover and disseminate knowledge; enhance innovation; and promote a culture of broad inquiry throughout and beyond the university through engagement and collaboration with industry and community 3 Vice-Chancellor’s Message It is with great pleasure and a sense of pride that I present the Annual Report of University of Colombo for the year 2018. I am delighted to inform you that the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018 placed the University of Colombo within 1000 universities in the world. A favorable environment prevailed in the University for teaching, learning, research and other related activities. Several Memorandum of Understandings were signed with international universities and agencies for strengthening academic related and collaborative programmes. The Faculty of Technology and the Faculty of Nursing were established in early 2018 and students were admitted to both Faculties for the respective disciplines. The University has laid foundation stones for several major construction projects during the year, such as Information and Learning Centre of the Faculty of Science, Student Service Centre of the Faculty of Science and the Statistics building of the Faculty of Science. Several other building constructions such as West Wing building Faculty of Management & Finance, Faculty of Technology main building complex, Faculty of Graduate Studies with Seven Storied building and Clinical Medicine building were in progress during the year. The Annual Research Symposium for 2018 was held successfully in early November at the University premises and several other International Conferences were also organized by the Faculties/Institutes during the year 2018 in order to disseminate research findings of the academics. The General Convocation as well as Postgraduate Convocations were held in July and November 2018 respectively, in a glamorous manner. In addition to academic achievements, the students were heavily involved in extra- curricular activities such as sports, debates, aesthetic and cultural events and community based extension programmes. The University of Colombo became Overall Champions of the Inter University Games in 2018. Similarly many students won several awards and became champions throughout the year at several sports events. The University of Colombo in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education presented the first ever ballet opera produced by a Sri Lankan university “Ravana: the legend untold”. The Undergraduates of University of Colombo performed in all roles of the ballet opera. We have been able to elevate the status of the university by promoting, research, improving research profile and involving community out research and industry collaboration. For this, every one in the university including the academics and the students were actively involved and contributed. Hence, I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the Council, the Senate, the Registrar, the Bursar and all the other staff of the University for making 2018 a very productive year. Senior Professor Lakshman Dissanayake Vice Chancellor January 2019 4 Highlights - 2018 • The University of Colombo in collaboration with The Ministry of Higher Education presented the first ever ballet opera produced by a Sri Lankan university “Ravana: the legend untold”, on the 5 January 2018 in the presence of His Grace, Most Reverend Dr. Oswald Gomis, the Chancellor, University of Colombo and Senior Professor Lakshman Dissanayake, Vice-Chancellor, University of Colombo. • The government of Japan has granted a total of 12 million rupees under its “Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects” to the Department of Mass Media, Sri Palee Campus, University of Colombo to establish an Audio-Visual Studio equipped with a new multi-camera system and post-production and color grading facilities. This will contribute to improving the undergraduates’ practical component of different disciplines in which they are specialized. • A Team of the Divinity School, University of Chicago visited University of Colombo in collaboration with the Department of Buddhist Studies on 16th and 17th February 2018. • The International Conference on Climate Change was held from 15-16 February, 2018 at Hotel Taj Samudra Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was hosted by the University of Colombo in collaboration with the Colorado State University, USA as the Academic partner of the Conference. The Conference witnessed the participation of more than 100 representing more than 20 countries across the world. • A delegation led by Professor Igros Tipans, Deputy Rector International Riga Technical University, Latvia visited University of Colombo on 26 January 2018. During the visit the delegation met Professor Lakshman Dissanayake , the Vice Chancellor University of Colombo , • Professor Jia Wenjian, Vice President, Beijing Foreign Studies University, China visited University of Colombo on 16 March 2018 and had a meetiting with Senior Professor Lakshman Disanayaka, Vice Chancellor University of Colombo, Professor Premakumara De Silva, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Ven. Prof. M. Dhammajothi Thero, Director, Confucius Institute, University of Colombo and Dr. Kokila Konasinghe, Director , International office. Both parties discussed about the ongoing academic collaborations between the two institutes and new arenas of possible collaborations. • An Opening Ceremony for the Faculty of Technology at the Malabe Premises was held on 14 of March 2018 with the presence of the Vice Chancellor Senior Professor Lakshman Dissanayake, Dean of the Faculty, Professor J.K.D.S. Jayanetti and other l staff members of the faculty. • The International Women’s Day 2018 was organized by the Department of Private and Comparative Law, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo was held on 8 March 2018 at the Western Province Aesthetic Centre, under the theme “Equality for Women: Press for Progress.” Hon. Justice Shiranee Tilakawardena,The Former Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka graced the occasion as the chief guest and delivered the Keynote address. • Professor Anthony Forster, Vice-Chancellor of University of Essex and Professor Dominic Micklewright, Dean for Partnerships visited University of Colombo on 2 March 2018. • The Opening of Resources Center for Visually Impaired Users was held on 23 February 2018 at the Main Library. The Vice Chancellor, Senior Professor Lakshman Dissanayake graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. • A team from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo placed 1st in the Global University Medical Challenge (GUMC) 2018, held in the International Medical University (IMU), Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, 14-15 April 2018. It was based on a vast area of knowledge including both pre-clinical and clinical subjects. • H.E. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the High Commissioner of India for Sri Lanka delivered the 14th Annual Sujata Jayawardena Memorial Oration on Tuesday, 3rd April 2018 at the BMICH on the topic ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas : Together We Progress’ India Sri Lanka Relations in the light of India’s Neighbourhood First Policy. 5 • A team from Faculty of Law, University of Colombo became Champions at the “Shri N J Yasaswy Memorial Asia Pacific Moot Court Competition 2018” hosted by The ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education, Hyderabad, India from 29 March to 1 April 2018. • The Opening Ceremony of the Asia Pacific Conference 2018, was held at the UCSC Auditorium, University of Colombo on 19 March 2018. The Ceremony was officially opened by the Chief Guest, Minister of Project Management, Youth Affairs and Southern Development, Hon. Sagala Ratnayaka. • A delegation from Taipei Medical University, Taiwan visited University of Colombo and met with Senior Professor Lakshman Dissanayake, Vice Chancellor, University of Colombo, Professor Indika Karunathilake, Faculty of Medicine and Dr. Kokila Konasinghe, Director, International Office. During the meeting both parties discussed about ongoing academic collaboration between the two universities. • The commemoration of the 157th Birth Anniversary of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, was held by Garlanding of the Bust of Rabindranath Tagore at the Main Library of the University of Colombo on 8 May 2018 at 9.30 am. His Excellency the High Commissioner of India, Mr. Taranjit Singh Sandhu graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. • The Opening Ceremony of the East Wing Building of the Faculty of Management & Finance was held on 10 May 2018, with the presence of the Vice Chancellor Senior Professor Lakshman Dissanayake and the staff members of the university. • A delegation led by the Dean, Business School, Griffith University, Australia visited University of Colombo on 5 June 2018. Professor Jaythilleke Bandara, Professor Peter Woods and Dr. Kanchana Karyawasam representing Griffith Business School accompanied the Dean. Both institutes focused on possible arenas of the collaboration during the meeting. • Two Sri Lankan Inventors, Dr. Mahesh Edirisinghe a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Physics and Mr. Thimira Sanuka Thilakarathna, formerly an undergraduate at the Department of Physics and currently working as a Temporary Demonstrator in Physics have achieved a highest level international recognition for their newly invented medical device, “Nasal Airflow Detection and Flow Rate Measuring System (NAMS). • The Rural Health Research