Abstract:

The major focus of this paper will be on building up a small university, which was established in a remote, distance village and located in an area which experienced a civil war for more than two decades and subsequently affected by the recent Asian Tsunami of 2004.

The paper discusses the strategies adopted to attract large number of students to the university; build the academic capacity of the staff; diversify the curriculum to cater to the regional, national and global needs and develop necessary infrastructure facilities to support the academic activities of the university through partnership and collaboration with NGO’s, INGO’s, local and overseas universities and international funding agencies.

Further, the paper highlights the role played by the university in local community development through restoration of lively hood of the people of the selected villages and in peace building efforts, economic regeneration of the region and rehabilitation of the people in the area by implementing community development projects, inter-cultural programmes and offering courses relevant to the needs of the locality.

The presenter of this paper, as the former the Vice Chancellor of the respective university for a long period discusses on hand experiences, constrained faced, conflicts caused and confrontation had with the undergraduates, staff and the local community, in building a conductive academic culture within the university.

Keywords:

Student enrollment, Curriculum diversification, International collaboration, Capacity building.