Vidyodaya University
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The Vidyodaya University emerged in 1958 from the Vidyodaya Pirivena, a distinguished Buddhist center of learning. The Vidyodya Pirivena had been founded due to the efforts of Sangharaja Sri Saranankara whose demise took place as far back as 1778 during the Dutch period. The Venerable Mohottiwatte Gunananda in 1873 immediately after his resounding victory at the Panadura controversy was also a great force in the emergence of the Pirivena. His aim was to train educated orator monks to save Buddhism and for that purpose he made logic compulsory in pirivena education. The Pirivena was situated at Maligakanda, a suburb of Colombo. The Pirivena taught Buddhist studies as well as pseudo-sciences like Astrology, widely accepted and held in high esteem in taditional society. However, the transition from Pirivena to University gradually converted it to a secular center of learning. The University was moved to Gangodawila, some 10 miles south east in 1961. In 1978 the name of the University was changed to University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
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[edit] The University Act and the new university
In 1956, following a change of government with Solomon Dias Bandaranaike as the Prime Minister, following the policy of promoting national languages and culture, it was decided to establish two new universities, by conferring university status to the Vidyodaya and Vidyalankara Pirivenas[1]. Accordingly the Vidyodaya University and Vidyalankara University Act No 45 of 1958, established the two universities at the Vidyodyaya Pirivena at Maligakanda and the Vidyalankara Pirivena at Kelaniya. Ven. Welivitiye Soratha Maha Thero who was the Principal of the Vidyodaya Pirivena was appointed the first Vice-Chancellor of the Vidyodaya University. The university was ceremonially opened on 16th February 1959. Sir Oliver Goonatilleke the Governor-General and ex-officio Chancellor of the University thus expressed the aims and objectives of the new university: " This is a historic occasion. Today witnesses the renaissance of Pirivena education on a broader front. It is my good fortune that I am privileged to be here today to inaugurate the Vidyodaya University and to extend my best wishes to the Vice Chancellor and the staff. The granting of university status to the two principal Pirivenas of the Island is one of the most far-reaching achievements of the Government in the realm of education. Minister Dahanayaka will be remembered in the annals of this Island as the man who gave Oriental learning and its traditional seats the encouragement and support they needed to become an integral part of the educational set up of modern Lanka. The Buddhist priesthood, who had in the past contributed so much to the cause of oriental learning and culture, will now get the opportunity of widening their sphere of influence..."[2]
The University commenced its academic activities with the five faculties: Buddhist Studies, Philosophy, Languages, Arts, and Ayurveda and Science. There were twenty-two Departments of Study. Some of the students of the Vidyodaya Pirivena were among the first students of the university. Adult candidates with the requisite minimum entry requirements were also selected for admission. Admission was restricted to males and the initial student population was composed mainly of bhikkus (Buddhist Monks). The initial academic staff were drawn from the same Pirivena, or those who had been its outstanding alumni, and were mainly Scholarly Buddhist monks. Pandit Wickramarachchi, a famous Ayurveda physician was in charge of the minuscule department of science. These more secular subjects required the services of visiting lay staff.
[edit] New campus
The new location selected was at Gangodawila, 15 km from the center of Colombo, and within walking distance of a main trunk road known as the High Level Road. This road connects Colombo to Ratnapura and beyond. Part of these lands belonged to the nearby Sunethradevi Pirivena, associated with King Parakramabahu VI (1412 - 1467). More recently some adjacent lands have been acquired to cope with the accelerated expansion and development of the university. The shift of the university to the new site was effected on 22 November 1961, under the direction of Sri Soratha Thera. The Vice-chancellor invited the Department of the Government Archives to establish its archives within the campus, close to the University Libraray, to encourage research.
The Higher Education Act No 20 of 1966 brought far reaching changes to the university scene in Sri Lanka, and in particular to the two new universities (Vidyodya and Vidyalankara). As a result, admission to both those universities was opened to female students as well. The post of Vice-Chancellor would no longer be restricted to the Sangha, and all academic and administrative appointees had to satisfy criteria determined by the newly created National Council of Higher Education. This modernization process also resulted in the restructuring of some of the Faculties and Departments of Study, as well as of programmes of study. The period when the Ven. Walpola Rahula was the Vice-Chancellor[3] was noteworthy since the University grew significantly in stature. When Ven. Prof. Rahula left the University in 1969, a famous Linguist, Prof. D. E. Hettiarachchi, took over.
Dr. G. C. N. jayasuriya, a biochemist, had been appointed as the Dean of Science, with a mandate to build up a modern faculty. The first post-graduate course offered by the University, Diploma in Statistics, was started by Prof. P. W. Epasinghe. A remarkable upsurge and revitalization at the university characterized the period that followed these changes, till the outbreak of the 1971 insurgency. The university had developed a vibrant faculty of science, business studies, adding to the original Arts and humanities which had strong Buddhist leanings.
Following the insurgency of 1971 the university premises were taken over by the Army, and converted into a detention camp for suspected insurgents. Many undergraduates had links with the insurgency. During this temporary occupation (1971-1972) the university functioned from temporary locations in Colombo, maintaining the basic academic and administrative services. Prof. Ellawala and V. K. Samaranayake were Vice Chancellors at that time. Following on the heels of this traumatic experience came the University of Ceylon Act No.1 of 1972, renaming all universities as campuses of a single University of Sri Lanka. Vidyodaya University became Vidyodaya Campus headed by a Campus President, appointed by the Minister of Education. The first President of the Campus under this system was Prof. Chandre Dharmawardana. The university programs became more "job-oriented", and attempts were made to introduce course-unit systems and other methods of continuous assessment. The very first course in Development studies in Sri Lanka, leading to a degree (B. Dev.) was started at this time. Post graduate courses in Statistics, Food Science, Polymer Science and Optometry were offered. The departments of Geography, Economics, Public and Business management etc., were expanded. Prof. Jinadasa Perera, Prof. Sirisena, and Dr. Dorakumbure were noteworthy university administrators prior to the change of name of the University to University of Sri Jayawardene Pura (abbrv. SJP university).
[edit] Sri Jayawardanapura University
Another change in government occurred in 1977, with Mr. J. R. Jayawardene as the leader of the United National Party and University was changed to University of Sri Jayewardenepura by Dr.Nissanka Wijeyeratne ( ex Cabinet Minister of Education, Higher Education & Justice, ). The Universities Act No 16 of 1978 returned the independent university status to the Campuses while assigning some of the coordinating functions to a new University Grants Commission. Vidyodaya campus was designated University of Sri Jayewardenepura. It should be noted that the city of Kotte, close to the University, was known as Sri Jayawardena Pura, and was the Royal Capital in the 16th Century. Today the University has five faculties, with a Faculty of Medical Sciences, and a Faculty of Graduate Studies being added to the long standing Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Applied Science, and Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce. In addition the university has a very successful Postgraduate Institute of Management, located in Colombo. The Faculty of Medical Sciences has grown very rapidly, with fifteen Departments of Study. The growth in the other Faculties has involved Journalism, Criminology, Forestry, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Estate Management and Valuation, and a variety of external undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Arts, Commerce and Management.
[edit] Re-emergence of the Vidyodya Pirivena
The re-naming of the Vidyodyay University as the Sri Jayawardanapura University enabled the re-emergence of the Maligakanda Pirivena with its legitimate old name "Vidyodya Pirivena", which carries on its old tradition of being a center of learning for Buddhist monks.
[edit] Historically Related Institutions
The Vidyalankara University was also created at the same time as the Vidyodaya University. Today Vidyalankara University is known as the University of Kelaniya
