About Us
Department Overview
The Department of Mechanical Engineering, together with the departments of Civil Engineering and Electrical Engineering, was part of the founding departments of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Ceylon, established in 1950. The Faculty of Engineering was later relocated to Peradeniya in 1964.
The department conducts Washington Accord Accredited specialization programme in Mechanical Engineering leading to the 4-year undergraduate degree programme in Bachelor of the Science of Engineering honours (BScEngHons) offered by the University of Peradeniya.
The undergraduate curriculum is crafted with a strong focus on establishing a solid theoretical foundation in mathematics, natural sciences, and engineering principles. It emphasizes the practical application of theory through design and laboratory exercises and projects while ensuring ample exposure to cutting-edge technologies, the engineering profession, and the socio-economic dynamics relevant to contemporary engineering.
The department offers several postgraduate programmes leading to postgraduate Diploma, Master of the Science of Engineering, Master of Science, Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy. In addition the department conducts several certificate and CPD programmes for practicing Engineering professionals.
Our Vision
The Faculty of Engineering will be the center of excellence in engineering education and research in South Asia. The best student representative of geographical and cultural diversity, academic staff of the highest caliber, and excellent learning and research environment will ensure academic excellence and highest professional standard, nationally and internationally.
Our Mission
The Mission of the Faculty of Engineering is to acquire, promote, develop and disseminate knowledge of engineering sciences and its applications to improve the quality of life and, in particular, to equip present and future generations with skills and attitudes to attain competence as professional engineers, and to interact with industry and community for sustainable development of humankind.
Message from the Head of the Department
Welcome to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Being one of the three founding departments, the department of Mechanical Engineering has been playing a pivotal role in engineering education at the Faculty of Engineering since its inception in 1950. The department offers the undergraduates a Washington Accord Accredited specialization programme in Mechanical Engineering leading to the degree, Bachelor of the Science of Engineering Honours, BScEngHons. The annual intake to the specialization programme in Mechanical Engineering is 50 students. We provide our undergraduates with an exceptional learning experience, by maintaining the right balance between fundamentals and applications, through classroom activities blended with laboratory exercises, design classes, problem-based learning activities and projects. The academic activities of the department are well supported by our dedicated faculty and staff. With the most recent curriculum revision, we have introduced several subspecialisations into our programme, making our progamme more flexible and giving the students with an opportunity for in-depth study in a related area. The department offers a postgraduate taught programme in Building Services Engineering leading to Postgraduate Diploma, Master in Engineering (MEng.) and Master of the Science of Engineering (MScEng). Additionally, department offers Master of Science in Energy for Circular Economy. This programme is offered in collaboration with Open University of Sri Lanka, University of Moratuwa and University of Ruhuna. These programmes are designed specifically for practicing engineers, aiming to address knowledge gaps in their respective fields. Further, the department offers research degrees leading to MPhil and PhD qualifications. The postgraduate programmes help our graduate students to advance their knowledge through rigorous academic activities that combine specialized coursework with innovative research. In addition to teaching, our faculty are actively engaged in innovative research in many areas that include renewable energy, robotics and mechatronics, refrigeration and air-conditioning, fuel technology, automobile engineering and machine tool technology. Most of these scholarly pursuits are aimed at developing technological solutions to societal needs. I invite you to visit this website to learn more about our department, staff and academic and related activities. I hope the visitor will inspire our activities.
Asanga Ratnaweera, BScEngHons Peradeniya, PhD Melbourne Head/Mechanical Engineering
Department History
The Ceylon Technical College has played an important role in engineering education in Sri Lanka. In the late 1930s the courses at the Ceylon Technical College were only up to the University of London ‘s Intermediate Examination in Engineering, the equivalent of the present Qualifying Course in Engineering and the Associate Membership Examinations of the three major professional Institutions namely Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering in London. The degree courses were conducted by the three Engineering Departments Civil, Electrical and Mechanical.
A University Council resolution in 1945 to establish a Faculty of Engineering in Peradeniya by 1948, which was also the date set for the transfer of the Faculty of Science to Peradeniya, further delays in both the acquisition of land and the construction of buildings. It was subsequently decided in 1947 to establish the Faculty in temporary buildings in Peradeniya in 1950, and the date was again put off to 1952, when the Faculty of Engineering was set up in Colombo.
The field of Mechanical Engineering was introduced as one of the major fields alongside Civil and Electrical Engineering in Sri Lanka and Faculty of Engineering established in Colombo had a Department of Mechanical Engineering forms’ its out set.
Under the original set of regulations the first year course was provided by the Faculty of Science. The first of two parts of the remaining three years at the Faculty of Engineering was common to all disciplines. In Part II the students followed the following subjects,
- Mechanics of Machines
- Applied Thermodynamics
- Mechanics of Fluids
- Strength & Principle of
- Materials
- Engineering Mathematics
A major revision took place in 1969 with all four years of the course conducted in the Faculty of Engineering and examination at the end of each year. The first and second years were essentially the same for all disciplines with specializations mostly in the 3rd and 4th years. The course content was always in step with that in leading international universities. The changes also allowed a little room for specialization by way of a few elective subjects.
The BScEng degree from the University of Peradeniya (then University of Ceylon) was accredited by the Institutions of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), London in 1966 but for various reasons the accreditation lapsed and the degree has since been accredited again by IMechE in 2004.
At the commencement of its first academic year on July 1950 the total strength of the teaching staff of Faculty was 12 and 2 of them for Mechanical Engineering. In 1964 Dr. J.C.V Chinnappa, who was the Acting Head of the Department, became the first Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Since then the Department has had major advances. In 1970 the Department had its academic staff …, including Professor S. Mahalingam also was made Professor following the award of a DSc by the University of London. The first ever honors of that kind in Engineering. The staff situation in the Faculty as well as the Department in particular weakened in the 1980s and reached its lowest level in the mid 1990s. The situation has since improved very much with 15 on the academic staff at the point.
Former Heads of the Department
- Prof. J.C.V. Chinnappa
- Prof. C.L.V. Jayathilake
- Mr. S.K. Seneviratne
- Dr. M.B. Kahawatte
- Dr. K.E.D. Sumanasiri
- Prof. S. Sivasegaram
- Dr. E.M.P.B. Boyagoda
- Prof. Leelananda Rajapaksha
- Dr. S.D.G.S.P. Gunawardane
Emeritus Professors of the Department
- Prof. S. Mahalingam
- Prof. C.L.V. Jayathilake
Retired Academic Staff
- Prof. S. Sivasegaram
- Mr. S.K. Seneviratne