COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced a new research grant programme aimed specifically at improving the international rankings and global research profile of the country’s universities.

The initiative comes as Sri Lankan universities continue to occupy relatively low positions in major global university rankings, with the University of Colombo — the country’s highest-ranked institution — placed in the 1001–1200 band in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026. It is also ranked in the 501–600 band in the THE Asia University Rankings 2026.

The UGC’s new programme provides financial support for research projects specifically designed to produce publications that can contribute to universities’ performance in international rankings. The official guidelines state that the main objective is to strengthen university research profiles and international rankings through publications in highly indexed journals.

UGC targets high-impact research publications

Under the new scheme, research projects must aim to produce at least one full research paper or review article in SCI, SSCI, AHCI and/or Scopus-indexed journals, with a direct impact on the international ranking of universities. Patents may also be considered under the scheme once patent rights have been obtained.

The grant period is one year, and permanent academics at Sri Lankan universities are eligible to apply.

Principal investigators must hold a postgraduate research degree such as a PhD, DM, MPhil or MD and have previous publications or patents in the relevant field. Co-investigators are also required to have postgraduate qualifications and research experience supported by publications or patents.

Grants of up to Rs. 2 million

Each research project can receive a maximum grant of Rs. 2 million.

The funding can be used for research assistants, software and data analysis and other research expenses directly related to producing the targeted publications. Research assistants must hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a UGC-recognised university or higher education institution.

However, the funds cannot be used to purchase equipment, cover administrative overheads or finance infrastructure development.

The UGC will assess progress through a six-month progress report at university level and a final report or promised publication at UGC level. The guidelines identify the targeted publication as the key performance indicator of the grant.

Sri Lankan universities face global ranking challenge

The move comes against the backdrop of Sri Lanka’s relatively weak performance in major international university rankings.

In the THE World University Rankings 2026, the University of Colombo is the highest-ranked Sri Lankan university, in the 1001–1200 global band. THE ranks universities using indicators covering teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry.

In the THE Asia University Rankings 2026, the University of Colombo is in the 501–600 band, with six Sri Lankan universities included in the ranking.

The University of Colombo’s own rankings data also shows that its THE global position has remained in the 1001–1200 band since 2024, after being placed in the 601–800 band in 2023.

Webometrics rankings show similar gap

The latest Webometrics 2026 second edition also places Sri Lankan universities well outside the global top 1,000.

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 University of Ruhuna ranks 2,504, while the University of Moratuwa is placed at 3,004.

The top 10 Sri Lankan institutions in the July 2026 Webometrics ranking are:

Sri Lanka Rank	University	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 universities using measures including visibility, research excellence and openness, with the July 2026 edition covering more than 32,000 higher education institutions globally.

UGC sets September 30 deadline

The UGC’s official letter, dated August 31, 2026, states that the 2026 Budget includes funding for initiatives aimed at improving university rankings.

The letter says the guidelines and application form for the research grants were approved by the Commission at its 1176th meeting held on August 5, 2026, and calls on universities to submit proposals on or before September 30, 2026. The letter was addressed to vice chancellors, rectors of campuses and directors of institutes.

A shift toward research-driven global competitiveness

The new funding programme represents a clear attempt to make research output, high-impact publications and international visibility a more central part of Sri Lanka’s higher education strategy.

Rather than providing general university funding, the scheme links financial support directly to measurable research outputs and international ranking performance.

For Sri Lankan universities seeking to improve their global standing, the challenge will extend beyond publishing more papers. International rankings such as THE assess universities across multiple areas, including teaching, research quality, research environment, international outlook and industry engagement.

The UGC’s new initiative therefore places greater emphasis on one of the areas most directly connected to global academic visibility: high-quality, internationally indexed research. (LankaEducation.com)