Establishment of Affiliated Wayamba University Province
In 1991, the Affiliated Wayamba University Province was established as a higher education institution in Sri Lanka. The college offered courses in agriculture, applied science, management, and technology, with the aim of providing job-oriented education to students and working professionals.
Formation of Rajarata University through Merging Affiliated Colleges
Over the next few years, the college underwent several changes. In 1994, a committee was appointed to report on the Affiliated University Colleges, which led to the merging of nine affiliated colleges to form two national universities, including the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka.
Merger and Formation of Wayamba Campus
As part of this merger, the Affiliated Wayamba University, which consisted of two academic sections (Home Science and Nutrition, and Agriculture), was merged to form the Wayamba Campus of the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka in 1996. During this period, the Wayamba Campus had two faculties: the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and the Faculty of Applied Sciences I. The former had departments focused on plantation management, horticultural sciences and food technology, and agricultural engineering, while the latter included departments in mathematical sciences, industrial management and computer studies, nutrition, and community resources management.
Growth and Change in Sri Lanka's Higher Education System
These faculties and departments offered a range of degree programmes that provided students with a practical education, including opportunities for in-plant and industrial training. This approach aimed to prepare graduates for employment and to create valuable citizens who could contribute to society. Overall, the period from 1991 to 1998 was a time of growth and change for the higher education system in Sri Lanka, with the establishment of new institutions and the merging of existing ones to create larger, more comprehensive universities.
