Over 5,000 students who cannot gain admission to universities in Sri Lanka go overseas annually to read for their degrees. As a result, Sri Lanka loses a large amount of foreign exchange, said Dr. Jayantha Balawardane, Senior Consultant Oncologist, National Cancer Institute, Maharagama. 

Dr. Balawardane was in the United Kingdom for his younger daughter’s graduation ceremony held at the Barbican Centre in London.

He said that parents raise funds with utmost difficulties and some even sell their properties to educate their children abroad.

"If we have affiliated Education Institutions, we would be able to minimize costs. I have first-hand experience with this kind of situation that parents undergo as my first daughter sat for her university education in Australia and the second daughter at the Royal Institute in Sri Lanka. Both of them graduated with internationally recognized degrees", he said in an interview.

"However, relatively I spent far less for my second daughter. I have spent over ten million rupees for my elder daughter. It cost me only rupees five lakhs for my younger daughter’s higher education", Dr. Balawardane said, citing an example.

 "This affiliated Education Institution system cuts the cost for students by almost 90%. The need for foreign exchange is also reduced substantially. This is the right time to start some universities like this in Sri Lanka and it will certainly help the poor too to obtain international qualifications while studying in Sri Lanka", he suggested.

It is time to address the issue of higher education in our country with all the possible infrastructure in place for more universities like this. It is a matter of putting them in some kind of order. If we have got recognized private Universities, students from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives would come to Sri Lanka and the country can earn much needed foreign exchange", he said.

 "People who graduate with internationally recognized degrees will  be able to find jobs in the global market and these graduates will be in a position to  send money back to Sri Lanka  which will be very vital for the post-war  development of the country", Dr. Balawardane pointed out.

Dr. Anura Wijewardane, a well known urologist in Sri said it is a great pride to see Sri Lankan students excell in one of the leading Universities in the world. This is due to the opportunity given by the University of London to global students to follow their courses of studies in their home country.

The University of London maintains a high standard in their examinations. Successful graduates get the opportunity to further their career in London or any other world recognized institution. 

 The University of London held its annual convocation on March 19 at the Barbican centre, with the participation of Princess Anne, who is the chancellor.

 Welcoming the new graduates, Princess Ann said "London University has been  serving students  for a period of  over 150 years since 1858".

She said the University has got affiliated education institutions in over 180 countries. So far five former London University graduates have been awarded the Nobel Price and some of their pupils have become world leaders, Ministers, MPs, Senior Judges and lawyers.