Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute now a University of Indigenous Medicine
View(s):The Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute, which was under the purview of the University of Kelaniya, has been upgraded to become a University of Indigenous Medicine. Education Minister G.L. Peiris has issued the relevant gazette notification.
The gazette said the University is being set up for the purpose of providing, promoting and developing higher education in the branches of Indigenous Medicine, Indigenous Health Sciences and Technology and Indigenous Social Sciences and Management Studies. He said the university should develop courses connected to a wide range of related disciplines with the aim of providing the students with a well-grounded education with potential to develop specialisation in chosen disciplines. Prof. Peiris also said the university should place greater emphasis on educating students on creating value within the local resource base.
The proposed faculties had also been announced. Under the indigenous health sciences and technology faculty, the department of indigenous health sciences, the department of indigenous technology and the department of indigenous medical resources would be set up. Under the indigenous social sciences faculty the department of indigenous social sciences and the management studies department would be set up.
A Faculty of Graduate Studies too would be set up. The previous regulations under which the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute was established had been revoked.