University (Amendment) Bill becomes active - a number of internal changes

Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramarathne today (03) endorsed the Universities (Amendment) Bill.

This Bill was passed in Parliament on January 23rd without a vote, with amendments.

This Bill is an amendment to the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978, and the relevant Gazette notification was published on November 21, 2025. It was presented to Parliament for its first reading on December 3, 2025, by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education.

This amending Act aims to enable the Faculty Board to elect a Dean from among Senior Professors, Professors, Associate Professors, and Senior Lecturers (Grade I) of the faculty, to enable the Governing Council to remove a Dean from office before the completion of their term, and to introduce limitations regarding the term of office of a Dean.

Furthermore, it revises and specifies the procedure to be followed by the Council when appointing a Head of an Academic Department, enables the Governing Council to remove a Head of an Academic Department from office before the completion of their term, and introduces applicable limitations regarding the term of office of a Head of an Academic Department.

Accordingly, the Universities (Amendment) Bill will come into force as the Universities (Amendment) Act, No. 2 of 2026.