Sri Lanka’s most sought-after higher education institute – the University of Colombo – celebrates its centenary this year.
Senior Professor Premakumara de Silva, Former Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo and Chairman/Standing Committee for Humanities and Social Sciences-UGC, chats with The Island about the 100 years of glory at the Colombo University.
Q: Can you briefly describe the beginning of university education in Sri Lanka?
A: Well, according to what is recorded in the history, The Ceylon University Association was founded in 1906 and campaigned for the establishment of a University level institution in Ceylon. The idea was championed by prominent figures at the time, such as Sir James Peiris, Sir Marcus Fernando and Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam.
In 1912 the Macleod Committee, appointed by Governor McCallum, recommended that a University College, affiliated to a British University, preferably Oxford, be established in Colombo. This is to have courses in Arts and Sciences and be open to female students as well with living accommodation for students with the expectation of converting it into a degree awarding institution later on. The proposals were accepted by the Secretary of State for Colonies but there was no immediate progress due to the advent of World War I.
In 1920, soon after the war ended, the government purchased ‘Regina Walauwa’, which belonged to Arthur de Zoysa, grandson of the philanthropist Sir Charles Henry de Zoysa who was reputed to be the richest Ceylonese in the 19th century.
The building was re-named as ‘College House’ and was the first home of the Ceylon University College which was officially opened on the 21st of January, 1921. The College was initially under the supervision of E Evans, the Director of Education and the President was ex officio, the Governor of Ceylon, W H Manning.
At the beginning of the academic year 1921-22, Prof Robert Marrs, a Philosopher was appointed as the Principal of the College. He continued to hold this post for 19 years until his retirement in 1939. He was succeeded by Sir Ivor Jennings who was assigned with the specific task of converting the Ceylon University College into the fully-fledged University of Ceylon, which he successfully achieved in 1942.
Though lectures in Arts and Sciences were held in the College House, the students had to go to the laboratories of the Ceylon Technical College in Maradana for the practical component of all the natural sciences.
In the first academic year, 115 students were enrolled and eight of them sat for the external degree final examinations of the University of London and seven of them obtained degrees. This is a quick overview of the birth and the early life of university education in Sri Lanka.
Q: What are your thoughts about the journey of the university education of the country through the last 100 years?
A: It is a very difficult question to be answered in a short answer since it requires more reflection and time to explain all the ups and downs along the way. As far as humanities and social sciences education is concerned, I would say that there are achievements as well as setbacks.
Some have begun to raise several pertinent questions like the quality assurance of study programmes and the quality of our graduates, the relevance of the subjects the students’ study vis-à-vis society and most importantly the employability prospects of these graduates etc.
These are very serious questions which can’t be ignored by us and the biggest challenge would be addressing those questions while progressing to produce quality graduates who are fit enough to face the physical and mental challenges they would have to face in the 21st century.
Q: Why did you think that a celebration of the last 100 years of higher education will be helpful in improving the process?
A: Well, it is always good to analyze the past and learn about what we have done right and what has not reached our expectations, in anything we do. Then by analyzing the main reasons for the successes and things that were not so successful we would be able to make plans for improvements in the future. University education in humanities and social sciences and of course natural sciences in Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, is reaching its 100thyear today.
University education in the Social Sciences and Humanities in Sri Lanka started in 1921 with the establishment of the Ceylon University College on 21st January that same year at the College House which is currently the central administrative building of the University.
University College was established to prepare Sri Lankan students for the external degree examinations of the University of London. It ceased to exist in 1942 when it was transformed into the University of Ceylon.
Subjects studied there adhered to the syllabi prepared for the ‘mother institution’ – the University of London. The social sciences taught were History and Geography of mainly England and of Europe, Western Philosophy and what we now call ‘Humanities’ subjects such as English, Western Classical Culture.
Languages taught included Sanskrit, Pali, Sinhala and Tamil in addition to English. Whilst the ‘Social Science’ subjects as well as English and Western Classical Culture had Professorships and separate departments, the three ‘Indo-Aryan’ subjects had only one Professorship and one department and Tamil was under a lecturer-in-charge at its inception.
The aforesaid ‘colonial university setup’ continued till the establishment of the University of Ceylon in 1942. Changes came about later years. Other universities started coming up from 1958-1959 and almost all the universities today teach humanities and social sciences subjects in our higher education sector. Over the years, these universities have been producing a large number of graduates in humanities and social sciences that there is something to be celebrated with a serious critical reflection on the path that we have travelled over the last one hundred years.
Q: Can you share with us a little bit about the planned centenary celebrations?
A: There are two programmes to commemorate the 100 th-year milestone planned. One is organized under the leadership of the current Vice-chancellor, Professor Chandrika Wijeratne at our University where everything started including the establishment of University College at the ‘College House’ in 1921.
That celebration is to mark the beginning of teaching humanities and social sciences, and natural sciences and establishment of a library in Colombo. The beginning was at the University of Colombo premises.
The faculties of Arts and Science and the Library have planned to organize a series of events throughout this year to mark this very important milestone. This idea was first conceptualized and introduced by the Faculty of Arts about 18 months ago.
The next level of celebration has been organized by the Standing Committee for Humanities and Social Sciences (of the University Grants Commission), which is chaired by me. Deans of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences faculties of all state universities serve as members of that Committee.
With the support of the Chairman of the UGC and other commission members and the members of standing committee a national event will be organized not just to celebrate but to encourage the community to critically look back at the last 100 years of the humanities and social sciences education in the country.
I hope these activities will help the efforts being made to find a way forward in the areas of social sciences and humanities of the highly challenging and dynamic world that we live in today.
Q: Can you briefly describe the beginning of university education in Sri Lanka?
A: Well, according to what is recorded in the history, The Ceylon University Association was founded in 1906 and campaigned for the establishment of a University level institution in Ceylon. The idea was championed by prominent figures at the time, such as Sir James Peiris, Sir Marcus Fernando and Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam.
In 1912 the Macleod Committee, appointed by Governor McCallum, recommended that a University College, affiliated to a British University, preferably Oxford, be established in Colombo. This is to have courses in Arts and Sciences and be open to female students as well with living accommodation for students with the expectation of converting it into a degree awarding institution later on. The proposals were accepted by the Secretary of State for Colonies but there was no immediate progress due to the advent of World War I.
In 1920, soon after the war ended, the government purchased ‘Regina Walauwa’, which belonged to Arthur de Zoysa, grandson of the philanthropist Sir Charles Henry de Zoysa who was reputed to be the richest Ceylonese in the 19th century.
The building was re-named as ‘College House’ and was the first home of the Ceylon University College which was officially opened on the 21st of January, 1921. The College was initially under the supervision of E Evans, the Director of Education and the President was ex officio, the Governor of Ceylon, W H Manning.
At the beginning of the academic year 1921-22, Prof Robert Marrs, a Philosopher was appointed as the Principal of the College. He continued to hold this post for 19 years until his retirement in 1939. He was succeeded by Sir Ivor Jennings who was assigned with the specific task of converting the Ceylon University College into the fully-fledged University of Ceylon, which he successfully achieved in 1942.
Though lectures in Arts and Sciences were held in the College House, the students had to go to the laboratories of the Ceylon Technical College in Maradana for the practical component of all the natural sciences.
In the first academic year, 115 students were enrolled and eight of them sat for the external degree final examinations of the University of London and seven of them obtained degrees. This is a quick overview of the birth and the early life of university education in Sri Lanka.
Q: What are your thoughts about the journey of the university education of the country through the last 100 years?
A: It is a very difficult question to be answered in a short answer since it requires more reflection and time to explain all the ups and downs along the way. As far as humanities and social sciences education is concerned, I would say that there are achievements as well as setbacks.
Some have begun to raise several pertinent questions like the quality assurance of study programmes and the quality of our graduates, the relevance of the subjects the students’ study vis-à-vis society and most importantly the employability prospects of these graduates etc.
These are very serious questions which can’t be ignored by us and the biggest challenge would be addressing those questions while progressing to produce quality graduates who are fit enough to face the physical and mental challenges they would have to face in the 21st century.
Q: Why did you think that a celebration of the last 100 years of higher education will be helpful in improving the process?
A: Well, it is always good to analyze the past and learn about what we have done right and what has not reached our expectations, in anything we do. Then by analyzing the main reasons for the successes and things that were not so successful we would be able to make plans for improvements in the future. University education in humanities and social sciences and of course natural sciences in Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, is reaching its 100thyear today.
University education in the Social Sciences and Humanities in Sri Lanka started in 1921 with the establishment of the Ceylon University College on 21st January that same year at the College House which is currently the central administrative building of the University.
University College was established to prepare Sri Lankan students for the external degree examinations of the University of London. It ceased to exist in 1942 when it was transformed into the University of Ceylon.
Subjects studied there adhered to the syllabi prepared for the ‘mother institution’ – the University of London. The social sciences taught were History and Geography of mainly England and of Europe, Western Philosophy and what we now call ‘Humanities’ subjects such as English, Western Classical Culture.
Languages taught included Sanskrit, Pali, Sinhala and Tamil in addition to English. Whilst the ‘Social Science’ subjects as well as English and Western Classical Culture had Professorships and separate departments, the three ‘Indo-Aryan’ subjects had only one Professorship and one department and Tamil was under a lecturer-in-charge at its inception.
The aforesaid ‘colonial university setup’ continued till the establishment of the University of Ceylon in 1942. Changes came about later years. Other universities started coming up from 1958-1959 and almost all the universities today teach humanities and social sciences subjects in our higher education sector. Over the years, these universities have been producing a large number of graduates in humanities and social sciences that there is something to be celebrated with a serious critical reflection on the path that we have travelled over the last one hundred years.
Q: Can you share with us a little bit about the planned centenary celebrations?
A: There are two programmes to commemorate the 100 th-year milestone planned. One is organized under the leadership of the current Vice-chancellor, Professor Chandrika Wijeratne at our University where everything started including the establishment of University College at the ‘College House’ in 1921.
That celebration is to mark the beginning of teaching humanities and social sciences, and natural sciences and establishment of a library in Colombo. The beginning was at the University of Colombo premises.
The faculties of Arts and Science and the Library have planned to organize a series of events throughout this year to mark this very important milestone. This idea was first conceptualized and introduced by the Faculty of Arts about 18 months ago.
The next level of celebration has been organized by the Standing Committee for Humanities and Social Sciences (of the University Grants Commission), which is chaired by me. Deans of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences faculties of all state universities serve as members of that Committee.
With the support of the Chairman of the UGC and other commission members and the members of standing committee a national event will be organized not just to celebrate but to encourage the community to critically look back at the last 100 years of the humanities and social sciences education in the country.
I hope these activities will help the efforts being made to find a way forward in the areas of social sciences and humanities of the highly challenging and dynamic world that we live in today.
Sri Lanka’s most sought-after higher education institute – the University of Colombo – celebrates its centenary this year.