UWL Announces New International Campus to Support Sri Lanka’s Vision 2048

University of West London Strengthens UK–Sri Lanka Education Partnership

The University of West London (UWL) aims to set up an international university campus in Colombo, thereby further establishing its presence in Sri Lanka. This move comes on the back of a long-standing partnership with the American Education Centre, now branded as ANC, since offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in business administration, psychology, and IT in Colombo and Kandy.

The new University of West London campus will extend its academic portfolio into law, computing, and biosciences. These new offerings intend to complement Sri Lanka's Vision 2048 development agenda, which essentially aims to create a resilient and globally competitive nation. The university mentions that this rebranding arrangement with ANC will open up academic standards, degree pathways, and international esteem for a career-oriented UK university abroad to Sri Lankan students.

Peter John, Vice-Chancellor and President of UWL, mentioned that it is a significant milestone for the university in its mission to specify and provide high-quality career-oriented higher education internationally. UWL degrees had already been conferred upon almost 5,000 students in Sri Lanka, and he expressed belief that the opening of the new campus would provide even greater opportunities for study abroad for Sri Lankan students.

Jagath Alwis, Chairman of ANC, said that the new campus will allow students to study at a world-class British university from the comfort of their own home. He stressed that the campus would have a unique identity that reflects UWL's academic quality with a strong emphasis on employability and relevance to industry. The new international university campus is expected to start accepting students as soon as the necessary regulatory approvals are obtained in the UK and Sri Lanka. This will supplement the already existing campuses of UWL in Ras al Khaimah (UAE) and a partnership programme in Athens with the Business College of Athens (BCA).

At a time when Sri Lanka is becoming a major hub for British education, this campus expansion comes in handy. With the private education market size exceeding $1.1 billion and over 60,000 students enrolling annually into transnational education programmes, Sri Lanka is presently the second-largest host of UK TNE (transnational education) students in Asia. Enrolments have grown by 104% since 2019/20, with about 45–50 UK universities now actively engaged with university partnerships in South Asia, focusing mainly on Sri Lanka.

Further strengthening the country's ambition to become a regional education hub are the two Australian university campuses—Edith Cowan University and Curtin University—and prospective plans of IIT Madras to set up a campus in Kandy, specialising in engineering. As global education news continues to indicate the increasing prominence of the UK's universities abroad, the University of West London's move showcases a rising trend amongst British institutions marketing recognised UK degrees via foreign campuses. Such programmes directly provide Sri Lankan students with international qualifications, enhancing employability for graduates and pathways for further studies or careers abroad.

Editor’s Note:

The formation of a new campus based in Colombo by the University of West London is a timely and strategic expansion of British higher education across its borders. At a time when Sri Lanka is bringing itself all set to realise its position as a regional hub of education, it reflects both foresight and responsiveness to the evolving skills agenda of the country under Vision 2048. This initiative is unique due to its clear employability, relevance to industry, and accessibility. UWL allows Sri Lankan students to earn their UK degrees without setting foot outside the country. This not only extends the reach of its academics but also reinforces its identity as a career-driven institution. The introduction of new disciplines such as law, computing, and biosciences strengthens the offer further, ensuring that the academic portfolio directly addresses national priorities alongside the global ones. This initiative signals a broader trend; UK universities are no longer merely awarding qualifications. They are actually embedding themselves into local contexts so that they can offer education that is relevant and future-ready. Almost 5,000 graduates of Sri Lanka have been awarded UWL degrees, and there has never been a better step forward in a well-rooted partnership that speaks trust, relevance, and common ambition. Above all, it means that UK universities have reached a point of no return: they are not only exporting qualifications, but also investigating local options in which to provide meaningful future-ready education. Nearly 5,000 UWL graduates are currently residing in Sri Lanka, making this natural and a result of a partnership based on trust, relevance, and shared ambition.

Skoobuzz asserts that this initiative reflects the growing trend of country-to-country education in South Asia. The new campus aims to integrate local aspirations with international educational standards, demonstrating the potential for an international university to achieve this synergy.

FAQs

1. Is the University of West London opening a campus in Sri Lanka?

Yes. UWL is launching a new international university campus in Colombo, expanding its long-standing partnership with ANC to offer more career-focused degree programmes.

2. What courses will be offered at the University of West London Sri Lanka campus?

In addition to existing programmes in business administration, psychology, and IT, the new campus will introduce law, computing, and biosciences, aligned with Sri Lanka’s Vision 2048 skills agenda.

3. How can Sri Lankan students apply to the University of West London campus?

Students can apply through ANC Education Centres in Colombo and Kandy, which manage admissions and academic delivery in partnership with UWL. Applications will open once regulatory approvals are finalised.

4. Is a UK degree from an overseas campus recognised internationally?

Yes. Degrees awarded by UWL’s Sri Lanka campus will follow the same UK academic standards, making them internationally recognised and valued by employers and institutions worldwide.

5. What makes the University of West London a career-focused UK university abroad?

UWL is known for its strong emphasis on employability, industry relevance, and practical education. Its Sri Lanka campus will reflect this ethos, offering pathways designed to meet global and local workforce needs.

6. How many Sri Lankan students have graduated from UWL programmes so far?

Nearly 5,000 students in Sri Lanka have already earned UWL degrees through its partnership with ANC, highlighting the university’s established presence in the region.

7. Why is Sri Lanka important for UK universities?

Sri Lanka is the second-largest host of UK transnational education (TNE) students in Asia, with over 60,000 annual enrolments and a private education market valued at $1.1 billion.

8. What other UK universities have campuses abroad?

Over 45 UK universities operate TNE partnerships in Sri Lanka and across South Asia, with UWL joining institutions expanding into the UAE, Greece, and potentially India.

9. Will the UWL Sri Lanka campus help retain talent locally?

Yes. The campus aims to support Sri Lanka’s knowledge economy by offering world-class education locally, improving graduate employability and reducing the need for outbound migration.

10. How does the UWL Sri Lanka campus support Vision 2048?

By offering career-relevant degrees in emerging fields like biosciences and computing, the campus directly supports Sri Lanka’s goal to become a resilient, globally competitive nation by 2048.