New Chancellor of University of Ruhuna ceremonially welcomed

The appointment of the new Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna, Most Venerable Pallaththara Sumanajothi Nayaka Thero, is another remarkable step in the history of the university. The new Chancellor was appointed to this position by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in December 2011.

The Thero is the third Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna.

To mark the important occasion, the university organised a ceremonial welcome for the new Chancellor on 8 February from 3 p.m. onwards at the university premises.

The University of Ruhuna was established on 1 September 1978 as Ruhuna University College, which was housed in the Technical College buildings at Meddawatte, Matara, with about 40 academics, 50 non-academics and 275 students. A new building complex for the university was designed by world-renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa and was constructed at Wellamadama with a unique architectural landscape.  The Ruhuna University was shifted to the new premises in 1984 and it was elevated to full university status.

During the past 25 years, it has witnessed considerable progress and development in the academic, research and outreach spheres with substantial improvement in intellectual and infrastructure resources and has emerged as one of the leaders of higher education in Sri Lanka.

Currently, the University of Ruhuna plays a critical role with parallel to the mega development process underway in the Southern Province.

It is the only National University located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka.

Therefore, as the knowledge centre of the region, the university has geared itself to produce qualified graduates to the nation.

Following the vision of the university “to be the intellectual trust of the nation,” it operates with eight faculties: Agriculture, Engineering, Fisheries and Marine Science and Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences, Management and Finance, Medicine, Science and Graduate Studies.