The University of West London (UWL) formally opened its Sri Lanka Branch Campus on Thursday, becoming the first full UK university to establish a branch campus in the country.
The new facility — UWL’s first overseas branch campus anywhere — is operated by ANC Campus, the higher-education arm of CEG Holdings, which has more than two decades of experience delivering UK-linked programmes locally. Academic delivery, assessment and quality assurance will be aligned with UWL standards, with the parent university retaining academic oversight of all courses and awards conferred from Colombo.
Speaking at the opening, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of West London, Professor Peter John CBE, framed the launch as a shift from collaboration to permanence. “Today we celebrate a shared success and the next stage in our partnership with ANC Sri Lanka — the opening of the first overseas branch campus in collaboration with the University of West London,” he said. “This is a moment of transformation as we move from partnership to presence and from collaboration to permanence.”
Dr. Jagath Alwis, Chairman of CEG Holdings and ANC Campus, said the launch was designed to expand access by removing the financial barriers that have historically pushed Sri Lankan families to choose between an overseas UK degree and staying at home. “Studying locally can substantially reduce the overall cost of obtaining a UK university degree by eliminating many of the major expenses associated with studying overseas, including accommodation in London, living expenses, airfares, visa-related charges, the Immigration Health Surcharge, accommodation deposits and relocation costs,” he said.
At launch the campus will offer programmes in Business, IT, Law, Artificial Intelligence, Psychology and Early Childhood Education, subject to applicants meeting UWL’s entry requirements. Professional accreditations will be confirmed through official UWL programme information.
UWL is currently recognised as the Best Modern University in London in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, the No. 1 London university for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2025, and a Top 5 UK university for student experience in the Daily Mail University Guide 2026.
The opening lands as Sri Lanka’s higher education ministry consults the public on a new policy framework and pushes a broader package of university reforms under Minister Harini Amarasuriya.
