Aquinas

Vision

To transcend the traditional taboos of caste, creed and race and provide an intellectual and social environment to prepare disciplined, socially conscious and morally committed intellectuals and professionals to be catalysts of a better world.

Mission

To provide the necessary man-power skills and enlightened leadership so as to bring about a better world in which people can live in harmony and peace with the sense of fulfillment and happiness.

The Aquinas University College was founded in 1953 by late very Rev. Fr. Peter A. Pillai OMI, Rector of St. Joseph’s College, at its premises in Darley Road, Colombo 10 as an autonomous higher education institute with the approval and the blessings and the inspiration of His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Cooray OMI., 6th Archbishop of Colombo. Aquinas was registered with the Ministry of Education of Ceylon as it was then called, in 1954 as Aquinas University College. In 1955 it was shifted to the present premises at 990 Maradana Road, Colombo 08.

The Aquinas University College is a nonprofit institution administered by the Catholic Church under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Colombo, devoted to education and philanthropic activities. It had contributed much to the development of the nation, by conducting numerous higher educational and professional programmes for the benefit of our youth in Sri Lanka.

Aquinas University College is situated in parkland in Borella, located in the centre of the City of Colombo. The campus provides a very healthy and peaceful environment conducive to educational activities. The presence of students from many diverse backgrounds and nationalities provides a very cosmopolitan community, creating an exposure to numerous cultures as we have students from SAARC countries and various ethnic groups. Thus it is now a national and an international community of scholars, enlivened by Christian inspiration, engaged in the pursuit of truth and knowledge, serving the human society, especially through the creative use of inter-disciplinary approaches.

Aquinas University College is also registered with the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) of Sri Lanka to conduct Professional Courses and Examinations at the Tertiary level. The College is also affiliated to the International Federation of Catholic Universities in Paris and works in close collaboration with Universities and Higher Educational Authorities in USA, Canada, UK and Ireland to conduct courses and examinations in Hospitality and Hotel Management (AHLA and OTHM), City and Guilds, CIM, CMA.

Aquinas University College is now a Degree Awarding Institute, which was approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on 22nd December, 2004 and was gazette by the Hon. Minister of Education on 10th October, 2005.

Aquinas University College offers a wide range of full time and part time certificates, diploma and degree courses. We are proud to say that we have among our past students over 640 London Graduates and a number of local University graduates who have done their external degrees from Aquinas College. Most of the students, who have gone through Aquinas, have left footprints in prestigious national and international professional centers to acclaim highest standards in a vast spectrum in almost all fields.