Universities and Colleges in Sri Lanka

The University Grants Commission (UGC) recognises 19 public universities (2012) with a futher 17 institutes of higher education providing over 450 undergraduate courses with technical colleges offering diploma-level courses in engineering and business. Notable among these are the University of Colombo, established in 1942 as the University of Ceylon with the merger of the Ceylon Medical College (founded 1870) and Ceylon University College (1921); other leading unversities include the University of Kelaniya, University of Sri Jayawardhenapura and the University of Peradeniya. The Open University of Sri Lanka is the only recognised university in Sri Lanka able to provide courses through distance learning. The responsibility for policy and funding of the country’s high education system falls under the purview of the Ministry of Higher Education.The female–male ratio for gross enrolment in tertiary education is 1.92:1 (2010). Literacy among people aged 15–24 is 98% (2010).