About Us

Since, it is founding in 1996, the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka has grown to become flagship, known for the excellence of its teaching, research, and service to local, national and international communities. More than 4000 students studying across all the disciplines in Agriculture, Applied Sciences, Geomatics, Management, Medicine, Social Sciences and Languages, Technology, undergraduate courses and postgraduate courses.

The Faculty of Geomatics is the successor to the Department of Surveying Sciences, which introduced the BSc in Surveying Sciences degree programme in 1997. This was the first time in the history of the University system in Sri Lanka that such a degree programme was introduced by a University fulfilling a much felt need of the country. The broad objective of the programme is to make the recipient graduate a person with academic qualifications and technical expertise to practice the sciences of Earth and Space measurements. The Degree Programme is a four-year course leading to a special degree, and it is the only such degree awarded in Sri Lanka. Five specialization schemes, such as Surveying and Geodesy, Land Management, Hydrographic Surveying, Remote Sensing, and GIS, fulfill the demands of the present-day spatial science industry. These programmes have been accredited by both local and foreign professional institutions, including RICS, FIG and IBSC-IHO. Starting from 2017 the faculty is offering the Master of Surveying Science degree and about 120 candidates have been presently enrolled and continuing their studies.

Presently, the Faculty consists of two departments;

  • 1. Department of Surveying and Geodesy (SUGEO)

  • 2. Department of Remote Sensing and GIS (RSGIS)

    • Both departments of the faculty were established in 2004, which makes them two of the youngest departments of SUSL. The two departments jointly conduct the first five semesters of the degree programme as a Foundation Course, and within the next three semesters, offer five areas of specialization as;

  • 1. Surveying and Geodesy

  • 2. Land Management

  • 3. Hydrography

  • 4. Geographic Information Systems

  • 5. Remote Sensing.

    • Notably, SUSL is the most remotely located university of the four HEIs participating in the project. Although it is less than 100 km away from Colombo it takes more than 6 hours to reach Belihuloya(Sabaragamuwa province) where SUSL is located. The support from CBHE action will help SUSL to reduce isolation and promote new collaborations.The joint work proposed in the project and the introduction of e-learning methods it is expected to commute the problem and create new opportunities.

    The Faculty of Geomatics is the only faculty in Sri Lanka that offers degree programmes in surveying sciences. The faculty seeks support from CBHE to modernize its GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems), Cartography and GIS subject contents, in addition to the new implementation of LBS course modules with a focus on ITS applications. Traditionally, SUSL graduates get jobs in the public sector or at small-sized, conventional topographic surveying enterprises. Hence, there is need to open new avenues in booming geomatics areas including LBS.