The Faculty of Engineering, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, is the latest addition to the Faculties of Engineering in the state Universities coming under the purview of the University Grants Commission. Established in January 2016, it consists of five Departments of Study with a mandate to offer study programmes in Engineering, and in particular an undergraduate study programme in Engineering leading to the award of the degree of the ‘Bachelor of the Science of Engineering’.
The government in its budget speeches of 2014 and 2015, made provisions to establish a Faculty of Engineering and Technology in the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. This is in-line with the national requirement for professionals to drive the country towards a knowledge-based economy. Following the government initiative, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Sampath Amaratunge appointed an Advisory Board consisting of renowned personalities to proceed with modalities in establishing the new Faculty. This Advisory Board comprised Professors, D. A. Tantrigoda, M. M. Karunanayake, A. M. Abeysekara, K. Deheragoda, and P.B. Mandawala. Emeritus Professor N. R. Arthenayake, who was a former Vice Chancellor of the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL), former Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Technology of the OUSL and Senior Professor of Mechanical Engineering, was appointed as the Lead Consultant to shoulder the task of establishing the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.
After extensive deliberations with regard to the differences in Technology and Engineering streams as well as the difference in the admission criteria applicable to respective study programmes together with prevailing practicalities, the Vice Chancellor proposed to establish two new Faculties, namely, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Technology. This decision was approved by the Senate and the Council of the University. Four Senior Lecturers, namely Dr. S. A. A. M. Subasinghe, Dr. C. de Alwis, Dr. M. Mohomed, and Dr. K. M. C. Konthesingha, were recruited to the proposed Faculty of Engineering to be engaged in the task of developing an Engineering Degree Programme, under the guidance of Professor Arthenayake.
A Consultative Committee in Engineering (CCE) consisting of eminent academics in Engineering Education in the country, together with the representation of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) were appointed to spearhead the development of the Engineering Degree Programme. Leading industrialists in the country were consulted to incorporate their inputs to the curriculum development process and the delivery of Degree programmes. This paved the path for the new Faculty of Engineering to build enduring relationships with the industry.
Together with the inputs from the CCE and the Industry, a proposal was formulated to be formally submitted to the University Grants Commission. The University Grants Commission approved the proposal to establish a new Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in December 2015. The new Faculty along with its Departments of Study, was gazetted by the government in January 2016.
The Departments of Study in the Faculty and their abbreviations are as follows:
Civil Engineering CE
Computer Engineering CO
Electrical and Electronic Engineering EE
Mechanical Engineering ME
Interdisciplinary Studies IS
The first four Departments are responsible for delivery of the Study Programme in four specializations in engineering as “Civil Engineering”, “Computer Engineering”, “Electrical and Electronic Engineering”, and “Mechanical Engineering”. The Department of Interdisciplinary Studies functions as a service department and is responsible for the delivery of courses in Engineering Mathematics, Management, and Humanities.
Innagural batch of students was enrolled in November 2016, which was followed by two subsequent batches in 2017 and 2018.
