About Us
The Department of Geography is one of the leading Departments in the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya. Initially it was established in 1959 as the Vidyalankara University, and subsequently it was renamed as University of Kelaniya in 1978. The Department of Geography has also being a pioneering department of the University of Kelaniya. Two major streams of undergraduate Degree programs i.e. Geography and Development Studies are offered by the Department At present, the Department offers Diploma programs, Degree programs and Postgraduate Degree programs. Diploma in Disaster Management and Diploma in Geographical Information System are popular among the students who have passed GCE Advanced Level examination. . Both programs have Honors (4 year) and General Degree (3 year) programs which are popular among undergraduates. The Department has been offering Postgraduate programs i.e. M.A. and MSSc since 1990. In additions, several scholars have followed MPhils and PhDs at the Department. The Department has physical resources i.e. Geographical Information System (GIS) laboratory and a Cartographical Unit and Human Resources i.e. 13 full-time lectures including a Senior Professor, Professor & Doctors. Several other staff members are reading for PhDs.
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Student Portal
News and Events
Second Issue of Thirasaara Magazine Launched by the Students’ Society of Development Studies
University of Kelaniya Pioneers Climate Solutions with International Collaboration
Academic Delegation from Pune, India, Visits the Department of Geography for a Foreign Exposure Program
Successful Stakeholder Meeting Held for Revising the Curriculum of Diploma in GIS
Field Excursions
Department of Geography Hosts Field Excursion for Development Studies First-Year Students
A one-day Field Excursion - Urban Planning and Development
DeWeSAS 2023
International Conference - DeWeSAS 2023 at the University of Kelaniya
An International Conference on ‘Developmentalism Vs. Wellbeing of South Asian Societies’ was organized by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, jointly with the Maharashtra Bhugolawidy Association India, Solapur University - India, Pangea Geographical Association, and Sri Lanka Association of Geographers (SLAG). The conference was held on the 23rd and 24th of February 2023.The conference provided a platform for the researchers to submit their research work under 08 sub-themes. The conference was hosted by a team of local and international academics from India, Bangladesh, and many other Asian countries, encouraging mutual understanding while ensuring links within the academic sphere.The inauguration ceremony of the conference was held on the 23rd of February with the participation of his excellency Mr. Gopal Baglay, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Snr. Prof. Nilanthi De Silva, Vice Chancellor - University of Keaniya and Dr. Mrunalini Fadnavis, Vice Chancellor - Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Solapur University, India. The keynote speaker was Mr. Abdur Rahim Siddiqui - Representative and Country Director at UN World Food Programme (WFP) Sri Lanka. Mr. Nihal Ranasingha - Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Senior Professor Chandana P. Udawatte - Vice Chairman of the University Grants Commission the guest invitees of the conference. Emeritus Professor N. K. Dangalle and Dr. Praveen G. Saptarshi were the resource persons of the conference while Prof. Lal Mervin Dharmasiri was the conference chair.Memorandums of Understanding regarding academics, students and field research were exchanged between the university of Kelaniya and the Solapur University of India. Moreover, post-conference excursions were arranged for the presenters from foreign countries, covering the city of Colombo and places related to the Ramayana legend in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka with the objective of uplifting the tourism sector and the economy of Sri Lanka.
News on "DeWeSAS 2023"
The post conference ceremony of “DeWeSAS’23” was held on 19th May 2023 at the Clarion Hotel premises with the participation of hundred and fifty organizing committee members. The ceremony was headed by the Snr. Prof. Nilanthi De Selva, the vice chancellor of university of Kelaniya, Snr. Prof. Lal Mervin Dharmasiri, Head – Department of Geography and many other professors, Senior lecturers and academics. The objectives of this event were to conclude the comments and feedback received from the organizing committee, while announcing the opportunities gained from the conference. Further, the certificates were awarded for all contributors appreciating their services rendered to make this event a success.
