Courses & PROGRAMS
Faculties & divisions
Faculty of Under Graduate Studies
Faculty of Hospitality Management
Faculty of Information Technology
Faculty of Marketing & Management
Faculty of Professional Studies
Faculty of Business & Financial Management
Student Facilities
Present Rector
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7th AND PRESENT RECTOR: VERY REV. Dr. PLACIDUS DE SILVA FROM JUNE 2006 In June 2006: Fr. Placidus inaugurated the 1st ever Degree a programme in B.Sc. in Psychology and Counselling and the Diploma programmes with the able assistance of the Educational Authorities of the National University of Galway, Ireland. In January 2007: with an agreement signed with the Rector Blessed Joseph Vas Deva Dharma Nikethanaya registered the students of BJVDDN to Aquinas B.A. Degree in Religious Studies in Sinhala Medium, 24th of January 2009: Diploma and UGC approved Aquinas B.A. in Religious Studies, In January 2009: UGC approved Aquinas B.A. in Humanities in Sinhala and English Medium were inaugurated In September 2009: UGC approved Aquinas B.l.T. Degree programme was launched. Other Professional Diploma and Certificate Courses launched after June 2006 3rd July 2006: 3 years Diploma Course in Theological Studies in Tamil Medium 27th of January 2007: Diploma, Advanced and Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing, Management, customer and Business communications, Human Resource Management, Project Management etc. (Faculty of Marketing) In January 2007: Diploma Programme for Catholic Teachers in Private Schools with the Archdiocesan Education Office. In May 2007: Diploma in Plantation Management, Animal Husbandry and landscaping and Horticulture. In September 2007: Diploma Programme in Hospitality and Hotel Management with American Hospitality and Lodgings Association and London College in Dublin, Ireland. 25th January 2008: Diploma, Higher and advanced Diploma programmer with City and Guild, UK in Construction Industry (Civil & Quantity Surveying) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Civil & QS), Telecommunication Systems. In August 2008: Certificate course in Italian (Faculty of Languages II) 15th of July 2009: Certified Management Accountants (CMA) in Technician, Intermediate and Professional levels, Diploma on Financial Management (Faculty of Business and Financial Management) In November 2009: Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) (UK) Foundation Diploma in Shipping. In July 2010: Certificate Course in German. (Faculty of Languages II) In September 2010: OTHM Courses of The Organization for Tourism & Hospitality Management. In March 2011: Launched a Faculty of Nursing Jointly Conducted by AQUINAS UNIVERSITY COLLEGE ,HEMAS HOSPITALS (PVT) LTD. With a 3 years Diploma in Programme in Nursing |
1st Rector
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Very Rev. Fr. Peter A. Pillai OMI Fr. Peter A. Pillai commenced Aquinas University College at St. Joseph‚s College premises in 1954. He was keen to help the youth who were deprived of opportunities for higher education due to lack of places in the university of that time. London External Examination Courses and professional programmes were conducted mostly in the evenings. His dream was to make Aquinas University College an ideal private university. 1956 Aquinas University College was brought to present premises and he put up the present science block which housed the best Laboratory in the island. He also bought land at Wanathamulla expecting to start a medical college Unfortunately in 1964 due to his untimely death this dream was not realized. |
2nd Rector
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Very Rev. Fr. Tissa Balasuriya OMI ( 1964- 1971 ) In 1964 Rev. Fr. Balasuriya succeeded Fr. Peter Pillai due to his untimely demise. He was the second Rector of the Aquinas College of Higher Studies from 1964 - 1971. Rev.Fr.Balasuriya bridged the old library building and the science block built by Fr.Peter Pillai by erecting a three storied tower building. 1965 Rev. Fr. Balasuriya founded the Sister Formation Programme. Today the congregations appreciate the programme very much as it brings about an aggiornamento to the religious life of young sisters. In 1966 Revc.Fr.Balasuriya established the School of Agriculture and bought the Aquinas farm land consisting of over 72 acres at Walpola, Ragama for students to carry out agriculture practical work. During the same year, the Schools of Business and Technology were inaugurated. He published for the first time the monthly magazine called the "Quest". |
3rd Rector
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Very Rev. Fr. W. L. A. don Peter ( 1971 - 1974 : 1979 - 1989 ) Rev. Fr. Don Peter was the third rector of Aquinas College of Higher Studies from 1971 - 1974. In 1973 he started the Diploma Course in English which has become very popular today. He inaugurated the Lab Technology Certificate course affiliated to the Institute of Chemistry. He sold off twenty acres of the Aquinas Farm to the Charismatic Movement of the Archdiocese to raise funds for the running of the college. He was re-appointed after Rev. Fr. Neville Emmanuel in 1979 as the fifth Rector and he continued till 1989. Circumstances forced him to close the science section. He started a certificate course in Laboratory Technology linked up with the Institute of Chemistry. He set up the Don Peter Auditorium, added a single story building for class-rooms and extended the priests quarters. He established a Compute Center seeing the need of the day. He inaugurated a course in Journalism. He also launched a Don Peter fund for employees and Scholarships for students. |
4th Rector
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Very Rev. Fr. Neville Emmanuel ( 1974 - 1979 ) Rev. Fr. Neville Emmanuel was Rector of Aquinas College from 1974 - 1979. He brought in several ecclesiastical institutions like the Catechetical institute and SEDEC as there was vacant space at Aquinas College. However, these institutions were transferred to other places by Rev. Fr. Don Peter during the second spell of his tenure. Due to financial constraints Rev. Fr. Neville had to sell part of the properties belonging to Aquinas to meet the day to day expenses. |
5th Rector
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Very Rev. Fr. W. D. G. Chrispin Leo ( 1989 - 2006 ) In 1989 August Very Rev. Fr. Chrispin Leo became the sixth Rector of Aquinas College. He expanded the Undergraduate section and also introduced a morning diploma course in English and so maximizing the use of premises during morning hours. Many new relevant and useful professional courses were introduced to help young people find employment. Just to mention few, marketing, banking, management, pharmacists, ACS (Australian Computer Society) and BIT (bachelor of Information Technology) A building program was started in the year 1999 with the view of linking up with foreign universities and catering to many more students. Archbishop Emeritus Rt. Rev. Dr.Nicholas Marcus Fernando laid the foundation in 1999 and at its completion in the year 2000 he declared it open in the presence of the Minister of education, the apostolic Nuntio and many distinguished guests and alumni. This was named the Millennium Building and it houses the information Technology Section, Library, Thomas cardinal Cooray Auditorium, Rector’a and bursar’s offices and a few classrooms. |