University of Sri Lanka

The University of Sri Lanka (Sinhalese: ශ්‍රී ලංකා විශ්වවිද්‍යාලය, Tamil: இலங்கைப் பல்கலைக்கழகம்) was a public university in Sri Lanka. Established in 1972 by amalgamating the four existing universities, it was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1972 until 1978. The university was based at six campuses in Colombo, Peradeniya, Sri Jayewardenepura, Kelaniya, Moratuwa and Jaffna. The university was dissolved in 1978 and its six campuses became independent universities.

The Ceylon University Ordinance No. 20 of 1942 established Sri Lanka's first fully fledged degree granting university, the University of Ceylon, on 1 July 1942 by amalgamating Ceylon University College and Ceylon Medical College. The university was initially based at the Ceylon University College site in Colombo whilst a new campus was built at Peradeniya. Various faculties and departments moved from Colombo to Peradeniya from 1949 onwards. The university's administration moved to Peradeniya in 1952 and the university officially became the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya on 6 October 1952. Sections of the university continued to be based at the Colombo campus of the university.

The Vidyodaya University and Vidyalankara University Act No. 45 of 1958 elevated Vidyodaya Pirivena at Maligakanda and the Vidyalankara Pirivena at Kelaniya into two separate universities.Vidyodaya University and Vidyalankara University opened in 1959.