University of Colombo tops four global university rankings

By Nathara Abeywickrema

The University of Colombo has achieved a milestone among Sri Lankan universities by being recognized as the top-ranked university in the country across all four major global rankings.

The university has reached the top position among Sri Lankan universities in the Times Higher Education World Rankings, QS World Rankings, Scimago Institutions Rankings, and Webometrics Rankings. It is the first university in Sri Lanka to achieve the highest rank in all four major global university rankings.

The UOC has also once again demonstrated its excellence by maintaining the top position among Sri Lankan universities in the 2nd edition of the Webometrics Ranking 2024. The university also held the leading rank in the first edition of the 2024 rankings.

Moving up from the 1001–1200 range, the University of Colombo currently holds a position between 951st and 1000th among universities globally in QS World University Rankings 2025.

Speaking to the TimesOnline Vice Chancellor of the UOC Senior Professor H.D. Karunarathne said that a number of variables determine this rating.

According to Scimago, this ranking honors the university’s outstanding achievement in a number of areas, including the impact of its online material, citations in well-known Google Scholar profiles, and highly cited publications between 2019 and 2023, Prof. Karunarathne added.

This accomplishment highlights the UOC’s steadfast commitment to quality in research and instruction, as well as its online presence.

It is dependent upon the quantity of research articles published in accredited journals. The university releases 640 journal publications annually. In this instance, the publications of each faculty member matter.

Furthermore, this position is influenced by the quantity of international students. Less than 60 international students were housed here in 2021; right now, 396 international students, mostly from China, Bhutan, the Maldives, and Nigeria, are enrolled.  

To increase the nation's foreign exchange, we recently inked partnerships with a few Chinese universities, including Tsinghua University.

The third aspect contributing to the university’s high ranking is the employment rate of its graduates after graduation. 96% of graduates, according to research, find work within three months after graduating.

The university selects the top students based on their G.C.E. Advanced Level (A/L) exam z-score, primarily for the faculties of medicine and law, which require the highest z-score for enrollment.  

The Medical and Science Faculties of the University are not only the oldest in the university system of Sri Lanka but are also arguably the best in terms of Faculty and resources.

Recent academic decisions have also looked into new ways for the Faculty of Management to deliver the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in International Business that has a high demand among the student population.

The university’s consistent adherence to its objectives: excellence in teaching and learning, research, networking, product development, and business partnership, as well as the development of its capital, faculty, and infrastructure is the fourth and most significant determinant that have allowed it to be ranked first.

Additionally, responsible management is a crucial component.

The introduction of the “digital tree inventory,” which aims to encourage greenery on university premises by embedding a QR code that provides all the pertinent information about each tree.

Inclusivity also plays a vital role in responsible management, and the UOC is the only university with a dedicated center housing 96 students for students with disabilities.

The university is also committed to women-oriented programs that promote women empowerment in society.

The fifth factor that has contributed to the university's top ranking is that, despite its promotion of free education, 67% of its expenditures are earned and spent through master’s degree programs, which enroll about 13,000 students in over 453 courses at a cost.

The country’s agriculture has also received special attention from the institution, with 300 farmers per diem receiving education at the UOC Institute for Agro-technology and Rural Sciences in Hambantota.

Additionally, research projects that UOC faculty members write for different institutions and multinational corporations bring in funding to the nation and support the university's growth.

According to Prof. Karunarathne, the university will be able to further address two areas: promoting centers for human rights and environment policy and law; this will be made possible by the $300 million awarded by the UNDP through the new cooperation framework for the development programs of the next five years. As a result, the UOC will begin educating judges in an attempt to bring this about.

In addition, the UOC anticipates growth in its training initiatives and journal publishing.

In the meantime, in an effort to advance Japanese language learning in Sri Lanka, the UOC is in discussions with the Japanese Embassy and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA) about inviting six Japanese lecturers.

Regarding research funding applications, the UOC collaborates closely with the Chinese Embassy, the Indian High Commission, and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Sri Lanka.

Enhancing public-private collaborations is another goal that the UOC has for the university's growth.

Despite maintaining its top ranking, the university’s biggest obstacle has been the steady reduction in government support for the UOC’s development, Prof. Karunarathne said.

The government intends to raise student enrollment by 10% a year, but necessary financing has not been provided, he added.

Another challenge is a shortage of staff as most of the highly skilled academics are emigrating to other countries in search of better opportunities, Prof. Krunarathne noted.  

“The hiring process has encountered some difficulties due to the strikes that have occurred over the past few months, but we are working to restore things to normal and are currently getting by,” he remarked.  

This outstanding achievement is a testament to the institution’s unwavering dedication to academic quality and the influence of research, noted Prof. Karunarathne.

UOC has achieved an excellent reputation for research and innovation and teaching excellence since 1921 placing it among one of the best universities in Sri Lanka.

It is a sprawling complex where student life is enhanced by a plethora of extra-curricular activities offering housing to over 43,000 learning partners.

The location of the University itself affords the student population all the advantages of a “metropolitan university” in easy access to international information and resource centers, libraries, theaters, sports complexes etc, added Prof. Karunarathne.

Vice Chancellor of University of Colombo Senior Professor H.D. Karunarathne

Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara