The Moratuwa University said it would relocate the National Diploma in Technology (NDT) programme to a new location in Homagama.

This step is being taken to prevent further friction between student groups in the university following a recent attack which left some students critically injured and university facilities severely damaged.

Some 700 NDT students are alleged to have attacked students of the Moratuwa University Engineering Faculty on January 16 leading to the Engineering Faculty coming to a standstill.

University Vice Chancellor A.K.W. Jayawardane said the Engineering Faculty would remain closed until further notice and that a project to construct a new university building for the NDT programme would begin soon.

“This is a project that has been in the pipeline for a long time. It is not something that we thought of overnight as a result of the recent clash,” Professor Jayawardene said.

He said the construction project was being carried out at a cost of US$89 million but it was still uncertain when the construction work would be completed.
Prof. Jayawardene said he met the police and the students yesterday to discuss what remedial measures needed to be taken to prevent a repetition of the clash which had cost a huge Rs.1 million in damages to the university premises.

“It is university policy to charge students three times the cost of any damage caused to the university premises. The same policy will be applied here as well. We are in the process of identifying the students who gave leadership to this attack. A police investigation and an internal university investigation are being carried out to identify those responsible for the attack,” he said.

Prof. Jayawardene said an engineering student who suffered severe brain injuries during the clash would be released from hospital today.