Sri Lanka Launches New Research Grants to Boost Universities’ Global Rankings
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched a new research grant programme aimed at strengthening the international research profile and global ranking performance of the country’s universities.
The initiative provides funding for research projects designed to generate publications in internationally recognised academic journals, with the broader goal of increasing the global visibility and competitiveness of Sri Lankan higher education institutions.
The programme comes as Sri Lankan universities continue to face challenges in improving their positions in major international university rankings.
The University of Colombo, currently Sri Lanka’s highest-ranked university in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, is placed in the 1,001–1,200 global band. In the THE Asia University Rankings 2026, it is placed in the 501–600 band.
Grants of up to Rs. 2 million
Under the new UGC programme, each research project can receive a grant of up to Rs. 2 million (approximately US$6,200).
The grants are intended specifically to support research capable of producing internationally recognised academic outputs. According to the UGC guidelines, projects must target at least one full research paper or review article for publication in journals indexed by SCI, SSCI, AHCI and/or Scopus.
Patents may also qualify as an output once the relevant patent rights have been secured.
The funding period is one year, and permanent academic staff at Sri Lankan universities are eligible to apply.
Principal investigators must possess a postgraduate research qualification such as a PhD, DM, MPhil or MD, together with a record of relevant publications or patents. Co-investigators are also required to have postgraduate qualifications and research experience.
Funding linked to measurable research outcomes
The grants can be used to support research assistants, software, data analysis and other expenses directly connected to producing the targeted research outputs.
Research assistants must have at least a bachelor’s degree from a university or higher education institution recognised by the UGC.
The programme does not permit grant funds to be used for equipment purchases, administrative overheads or infrastructure development.
Progress will be monitored through a six-month progress report at university level, followed by a final report or the submission of the promised publication to the UGC.
The targeted research publication is identified as the programme’s key performance indicator.
Why global rankings matter
Sri Lanka’s new initiative comes amid efforts to strengthen the country’s position in the increasingly competitive global higher education sector.
International rankings such as THE assess universities using a range of indicators, including teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry engagement.
Research publications are particularly important for international academic visibility because they contribute to measures of research productivity, quality and influence.
In the THE World University Rankings 2026, the University of Colombo is placed in the 1,001–1,200 band globally and is the highest-ranked Sri Lankan institution.
Six Sri Lankan universities are included in the THE Asia University Rankings 2026, with the University of Colombo placed in the 501–600 band.
Webometrics also highlights the global gap
Sri Lankan universities also remain outside the world’s top 1,000 institutions in the July 2026 edition of the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities.
The University of Colombo ranks 1,745th globally, followed by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura at 2,125 and the University of Peradeniya at 2,258.
The top 10 Sri Lankan institutions in the July 2026 Webometrics ranking are:
| Sri Lankan Rank | Institution | Global Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Colombo | 1,745 |
| 2 | University of Sri Jayewardenepura | 2,125 |
| 3 | University of Peradeniya | 2,258 |
| 4 | University of Ruhuna | 2,504 |
| 5 | University of Moratuwa | 3,004 |
| 6 | University of Kelaniya | 3,104 |
| 7 | University of Jaffna | 3,584 |
| 8 | Rajarata University | 4,076 |
| 9 | Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) | 4,178 |
| 10 | Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka | 4,254 |
Webometrics evaluates higher education institutions using indicators including visibility, research excellence and openness, and its July 2026 edition covers more than 32,000 institutions worldwide.
Applications close September 30
The UGC announced the new programme in a letter dated August 31, 2026.
According to the letter, funding for initiatives aimed at improving university rankings has been included in Sri Lanka’s 2026 national budget. The research grant guidelines and application form were approved by the UGC Commission at its 1,176th meeting on August 5, 2026.
Universities have been instructed to submit research proposals by September 30, 2026.
The announcement was sent to vice chancellors, campus rectors and directors of relevant higher education institutes.
Focus shifts toward international research
The new programme marks a stronger emphasis on research as part of Sri Lanka’s efforts to improve the international competitiveness of its universities.
Rather than providing unrestricted institutional funding, the scheme links financial support to specific research outputs, particularly publications in internationally indexed journals.
However, improving global university rankings generally requires progress across multiple areas, including teaching quality, research impact, international collaboration, academic reputation and engagement with industry.
The UGC’s new programme therefore represents one component of a broader challenge facing Sri Lankan universities: increasing the quality, visibility and international impact of their research while strengthening their overall performance in the global higher education sector.
Source: University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka; Times Higher Education; Webometrics. Report by LankaEducation.com.
