The University of Colombo is a public research university in Sri Lanka, with its main campus located in Colombo. As the oldest higher education institution in the country, its history dates back to the establishment of the Ceylon Medical College in 1870. The university comprises seven faculties offering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees across 43 disciplines, including eight autonomous institutes, serving over 11,000 students. In addition, the university provides distance learning and associate degree programs. The University of Colombo is particularly strong in natural sciences, social sciences, applied sciences, mathematics, computer science, and law, and is ranked among the top ten universities in South Asia.