University of Moratuwa

The University of Moratuwa (UOM), the successor to the Institute of Practical Technology, Katubedda set up in 1960 and Ceylon College of Technology set up in 1966, commenced functioning as Katubedda Campus on 15th February 1972.

Under the provisions of Universities Act No. 16 of 1978, the Katubedda Campus of University of Sri Lanka acquired the status of an independent University with its present corporate name "The University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka". At present , the UOM consists of five faculties namely Architecture, Business, Engineering, Graduate Studies and Information Technology. It has twenty two (22) academic departments offering twelve (12) Bachelors degree programs to students selected by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and fifty six (56) postgraduate programs conducted on cost recovery basis.

The University of Moratuwa has gained reputation as the overall best university in Sri Lanka today. In terms of education, the university strives to produce "world class graduates" in technological fields- who can gain admission easily to any postgraduate program of a reputed world class University and perform as good as any graduate from an internationally reputed University both in higher studies and practice. The overall goal of the UOM therefore, is to produce academically sound , self confident, flexible, highly employable, internationally recognized quality graduates who are readily employable soon after the graduation, and also to train our students to become "job creators"  rather than "job seekers" when they graduate. It should be highlighted that the UOM produces highly employable world class quality graduates in engineering, architecture quantity surveying , design, town and country planning, facilities management, information technology and transport & logistics management  at a cost of around US$ 7600 (as per exchange rate 2014) per student (recurrent), which is less than the annual salary of many of our new graduates.

The university has set several goals in order to be an active player in the economic development of our country while contributing to making Sri Lanka a "Knowledge Hub" by strategic planning and implementing many initiatives.

For the past 50 years, University of Moratuwa has educated talented youth from diverse backgrounds and transformed them to high-quality professionals, academics and leaders. The efforts of my predecessor vice chancellors, fully supported by councils, staff, students, alumni, industry and society, have elevated the University of Moratuwa to its present status.

Rapid and complex changes of geopolitics, economics and environment are inevitable. Thus our future students, staff and graduates will interact in diverse ways with a quite different world than today. With ambitious development and economic goals, national-level human capital development should strategically employ new technologies, innovations and entrepreneurship. The higher education landscape in the country will be affected by rapidly developing technologies, democratization of access to knowledge and the formation of international platforms to address major global challenges.  Education will continue to be a vital force in promoting inclusiveness, building social cohesion and attaining economic resilience. Hence, the University of Moratuwa, as a leading university in Sri Lanka, will face the challenge of living up to its vision and meeting national needs with international quality.

Our vision is to be the most globally recognized Knowledge Enterprise in South Asia. To be the leading Knowledge Enterprise for technological and related disciplines in South Asia by:

• Providing transformative education in technological and related disciplines which nurtures the inquiring mind and develops knowledge and skills for facing global challenges;
• Carrying out nationally relevant and high-impact research to expand the boundaries of knowledge and to enhance the national technological capabilities;
• Providing expert services to the State, Industry and the Society as an Internationally positioned Sri Lankan University; and
• Contributing to sustainable, scientific, technological, social and economic development of Sri Lanka.

At present there is one central library in the University and it is housed in a five storied building. The library is headed by the Librarian and has Senior Assistant Librarians, Assistant Librarians, Senior Assistant Registrar (Library Services) and other supporting staff. The library has a collection of over 111,000 items and subscribes to 5 databases, 25 online journals and 21 print journals. During the planning period the library will undergo major improvements in the areas of enhancing collection, enhancing facilities and services to users, improvement of audio-visual section, automation, develop infrastructure, improved user assistance & education and resource sharing by networking with other libraries. It will also develop a fully-fledged Centre for Instructional Technologies to support staff of all faculties to develop and use e-resources. A Media Centre will also be establish to enhance university publicity in electronic and print media.

Our Core Values are

Quality

Striving to achieve the highest quality in all its endevours.

Competence and Professionalism

Committing to provide all the services competently and professionally to meet the highest standards of achievement.

Collaboration and Teamwork

Fostering cooperation, collaboration and teamwork whilst respecting team dynamics in an environment conducive for stakeholder satisfaction and a rewarding experience.

Staff Empowerment

Embracing new ideas and empowering staff and capacity building for best performance.

Responsiveness

Understanding national and industry needs and promptly responding through expert advice and innovative initiatives to facilitate rapid development.

Honesty and Openness

Building trust and respect with all stakeholders through effective communication and mutual understanding.

Ethical behavior, Accountability and Integrity

Performing all tasks maintaining the highest ethical standards, demonstrating high integrity and accountability.

Safety and Security

Ensuring safe and secure environment for students and staff.

Sustainability

Embracing sustainability principles and green concepts.

Good Governance

Conducting all activities responsibly with due consideration for fairness and transparency whilst fulfilling statutory requirements.