ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS OF UNIVERSITIES IN SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) had only one university from the beginning of the university system in 1925 (when there was a University College) which was upgraded to an independent university, with the establishment of the University of Ceylon in 1942. It was only after 1959 that Sri Lanka had more than one university when the SWRD Bandaranaike Government upgraded the two well-known pirivenas to university status as the Vidyodaya University in Gangodawila, Nugegoda and the Vidyalankara University in Dalugama, Kelaniya with the passing of the Vidyodaya University and Vidyalankara University Act, No. 45 of 1958. However, at that time not a single of these universities had an alumni association.

It was only after 1978 with the promulgation of the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978 that the beginnings of the formation of alumni associations of universities in Sri Lanka were seen. The start was given by the University of Colombo with Prof. Stanley Wijesundera, the Vice-Chancellor at the time, initiating the establishment of the first Alumni Association in a university in Sri Lanka.

Though the initial steps were taken around 1981 the Alumni Association was formed only in about 1985 with a constitution akin to those in universities in the United Kingdom. I (as the Registrar at the time) had to provide the room, the peon and the refreshments to enable the committee of the association to have their regular committee meetings, and later, one of the Assistant Registrars was assigned to attend to the correspondence work as the association did not have any funds at the time to recruit a person to attend to this work.

After the Alumni Association of the University of Colombo was established, the University of Peradeniya wanted to follow suit. The Senior Assistant Registrar (Mrs. Nandasena) in charge of getting their Association formed used to contact me regularly to find out details regarding the procedures. I provided all details including the constitution of the newly formed association in Colombo to her. Finally, that university too got their Alumni Association off the ground. Now both associations have branch associations in other cities in Sri Lanka as well as abroad.

Gradually, some of the other universities too established their own Alumni Associations. These Associations have been very helpful to their Alma Mater as they provide funding for various projects carried out to assist the undergraduates. This became a boon during the time that the universities did not get sufficient funding to carry out activities to help the undergraduate population.

The Alumni Association of the University of Colombo collected funds on its own through their President at the time, Mrs. Sujata Jayawardena, to construct a hostel for women undergraduates. Almost single handedly she collected adequate funds to commence building operations. With the technical know-how provided by Dr. ANS Kualsinghe, a new method was used to construct the walls of the building at low cost using coir and cement instead of bricks.

With the funds collected the building almost went up to the roof level. However, the association was short of Rs.3.6 million to complete the building. This deficit was bridged with the help of the then Minister of Higher Education, Prof. Viswa Warnapala, who agreed to give the amount required at a meeting we held in his Ministry and kept to his word .

I was able to get the building completed, using the same consultant and contractor. The finishing touches were done by the wife of the Chairman of Reckitt and Coleman, Mrs. Elizabeth Ure with workmen she obtained from the firm to have a different colour for each floor and a mirror in each room. This hostel was to house 502 undergraduates.

In a similar vein, the Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya got a museum established to keep all past records of the university for future reference.

These Alumni Associations have assisted the undergraduates by way of providing, scholarships, spectacles, and conducting career guidance activities. As such they have been a boon to the undergraduates. They have also helped to develop the infrastructure of some universities and provided valuable equipment to enhance the education of the undergraduates.

At present some of the Faculties in universities have their own Alumni Associations. There are a few Institutions affiliated to universities which too have their own Alumni Associations.

HM Nissanka Warakaulle