The Junior University College of

Ceylon Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

was a university college in

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

which operated from 1969 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses around

. In 1972, several of the campuses were separated into independent Advanced Technological Institutes .

History

Foundation and vision

The government of

established the six Junior University Colleges in 1969. Part xvi of the Higher Education Act No. 20 of 1966 provided for the establishment of Junior University Colleges in Ceylon. They are two-year colleges, providing courses designed to meet the skill requirements of the developing nation. The primary aim is the further democratization of education by extending it beyond the secondary level. Junior University Colleges make higher education an opportunity for many high potential students who may not reach the university system. The Junior University Colleges emphasize employment-oriented education rather than purely academic education. The Junior University College concept was proposed by the Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs of Ceylon, I. M. R. A. Iriyagolla. In 1965, he visited the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

to study institutions of higher education. Among the institutions he visited were the junior colleges of Southern

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. Impressed with what he saw, he "returned to Ceylon with renewed enthusiasm and determination to provide semi-professional education for his nation." Many educators and politicians supported the philosophy behind the movement.

Workshops

Immediately after the appointment of the first group of faculty in the spring of 1968, a series of workshops planned and directed by Charles C. Collins, the first of four scheduled Fulbright professors (1967–68), produced detailed course outlines and developed plans for a comprehensive student personnel services program. For the first time in the nation's history, the junior university colleges were to be staffed by full-time guidance and placement counselors.Kintzer, Frederick C. "Junior University College Movement in Ceylon." (1970).

Junior University Colleges

References

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