University of West London opens first UK branch campus in Colombo with ANC Education

ANC Education Chairman Dr. Jagath Alwis (left) and University of West London, UK Vice-Chancellor Prof. Peter John CBE sign the MoU between the two organisations witnessed by Ceylinco Holdings Executive Chairman Ajith Gunawardena, ANC Education CEO Dayan Fernando, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Andrew Patrick, and ANC Education Executive Director Dr. Punarjeeva Karunanayake

British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Andrew Patrick

 West London University Vice Chancellor Prof. Peter John CBE

• ANC will upgrade and redevelop its existing building into a dedicated UWL branch campus by 2026
• Campus will offer 15 undergraduate and 12 structured postgraduate programs by 2026
• New degrees cover high-demand areas with industry aligned programs 
• Founding goal partnership began in 2012 to deliver identical UK programs and produce job-ready graduates 
• Students gain direct enrolment with University of West London for qualifications and global networks
• Degree costs will be significantly lower than pursuing the same programs in UK

By Safna Malik

The University of West London (UWL) officially launched its first ever UK branch campus in Sri Lanka on 15 October. 

The campus is located at R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 3. ANC Education is the operating partner for the venture. The new campus extends the institutions’ decade-long collaboration.  

ANC Education Chairman Dr. Jagath Alwis called the partnership a critical step for the nation and said the new campus gives students access to a globally recognised British degree in Colombo.

He highlighted the economic contribution of the institution by noting the campus would help retain talent, broaden access to international education, and strengthen graduate employability.

The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Andrew Patrick, addressed the initiative’s importance to both countries. He acknowledged the Government’s ambition to expand public sector education. He noted, ‘‘that’s very important, and we support it. However, I think there will always be a place for private sector, education, private partnerships that we celebrate today.” 

He highlighted the international focus of British universities. He said institutions like UWL “bring that international experience and international network” to Sri Lanka. He also stressed that a globally recognised degree from a British university is a “huge advantage” for those who want to work abroad.

In his closing remarks he left an important advice to the Sri Lankan future students. He said they should gain experience abroad but should return to the island. He pointed out that according to the economist’s growth forecasts for the next 30 years favour India, not the US or the UK. He said students should consider “coming back to Sri Lanka, settling here, becoming a part of the growth.”

UWL Vice-Chancellor and President Prof. Peter John said the establishment of the new campus was a proud moment that opened even greater opportunities for the future, building on the success of over 5,000 previous graduates. 

He stated the new campus would be bigger than the current partnership, reflecting the university’s confidence in Sri Lanka and its commitment to career-focused degrees. 

He declared the campus will be a catalyst for national progress that will transform and empower the next generation of Sri Lankan leaders. He assured that students would have a similar experience to those in London, with the scale and number of opportunities increasing. He added that UWL was proud to stand by Sri Lanka and proud of what they would achieve together, knowing students will carry their name, academic standards, and commitment to excellence globally.

ANC Executive Director Dr. Punarjeeva Karunanayaka provided an overview of the ANC Education stating the campus recognised as Sri Lanka’s leading private higher education institution, with over 20,000 graduates having earned internationally recognised US or UK degrees over two decades in Sri Lanka. 

He explained the collaboration began in 2012 with a vision to find a highly ranked, career-focused UK university that would deliver identical, job-ready programs. Starting with the initial program, the Master of Law and MBA in 2012, the partnership has grown significantly; ANC now owns five faculties from UWL, namely school of Business, the school of Computing, the school of Human and Social Sciences, the School of Law with the school of Biomedical Science set to launch in 2026. 

Dr. Karunanayaka announced major expansion plans by 2026, the campus will offer 15 undergraduate and 12 structured postgraduate programs. These will cover high-demand areas like AI, Cyber Security, Data Analytics, Sustainability, Biosciences, and Executive MBAs, aligning programs with Sri Lanka’s National Vision for knowledge development. 

He also mentioned the cost of degree programs offered through the UWL Branch Campus in Sri Lanka will be significantly lower than pursuing the same programs in the UK, thereby providing Sri Lankan students with greater financial viability.

He confirmed the Ceylinco and ANC board of Director’s will invest substantially in the construction of the new university on the existing ANC building. He reiterated that ANC is committed to building world-class infrastructure and human resources to ensure the UWL branch campus is a success. Students enrolled under the branch-campus model will gain direct enrolment with UWL, ensuring access to the university’s academic standards, qualifications, and global networks while studying locally.

Recruitment for new programs will commence after all regulatory requirements are met in the UK and Sri Lanka.