The Head Office of Oxford Chester Uni of Higher Education was ceremonially opened at the Gangaramaya Educational Hub, located within the historic premises of the Gangaramaya Temple, marking a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s higher education landscape.
The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of the Chief Guest, Venerable Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thero, Chief Incumbent of Gangaramaya Temple and Honourable Chancellor of Oxford Chester Uni of Higher Education. His leadership continues the Temple’s long-standing commitment to value-based education.
The establishment of Oxford Chester Uni of Higher Education within this educational ecosystem represents a forward-looking step, bridging vocational education with higher education, research, innovation, and international academic collaboration. It creates new pathways for students to progress from skills-based learning to advanced academic qualifications.
Offering more than 50 vocational and technical courses, including electronics, motor mechanics, welding, IT, English, secretarial studies, graphic design, network engineering, and mobile phone repair, the Centre stands as a national model of socially responsive education.
The event was graced by the presence of H.E. Mr. David Pine, the newly appointed High Commissioner of New Zealand to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, representatives of the Indian High Commission, the Ambassador of Indonesia, the Ambassador of Nepal, senior diplomats, officials from the Ministry of Education, academic lecturers, and distinguished invitees. Dr. Dulan Hettiarachchi and Mr. Gayan Iddamalgoda were also present at the ceremony representing the management of Oxford Chester Uni of Higher Education.
The Gangaramaya Temple, established in the late 14th century, is one of Colombo’s most revered Buddhist institutions, with a legacy spanning over five centuries. Beyond being a sacred place of worship, the Temple has long served as a centre of learning, social service, and national development. From the 19th century onwards, Gangaramaya functioned as a major educational hub, nurturing intellectual thought, discipline, and moral leadership.
It was from the Gangaramaya Temple that the great scholar monk Most Venerable Hikkaduwa Sri Sumangala Thera laid the foundations for higher education institutions such as Vidyodaya and Vidyalankara, which later evolved into the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and the University of Kelaniya. This enduring legacy affirms Gangaramaya’s historic role as a cradle of knowledge in Sri Lanka.
The Gangaramaya Pirivena system has also played a transformative role in monastic education, shaping generations of Buddhist monks with disciplined, socially responsive, and intellectually grounded learning.
Special recognition was given to the Sri Jinarathana Vocational Training Centre, established in 1978 by Venerable Devundara Vacissara Thera and later strengthened under the guidance of Venerable Galboda Gnanissara Thera. For more than four decades, the Centre has empowered over 100,000 young people through vocational and technical education, operating from its main centre in Colombo and over 40 training centres island-wide.
The ceremony reaffirmed the Gangaramaya Educational Hub’s vision of fostering ethical leadership, academic excellence, and social responsibility, contributing meaningfully to Sri Lanka’s national development.
Photo caption: Cutting of Ribbon to signify opening of the university by the Ven. Dr. Kirinde Assaji thero, Honorable Chancellor, OCU University.
