- A decade of steady transformation
The Jaffna University’s Medical Faculty stands today as one of Sri Lanka’s most resilient and rapidly evolving academic institutions. Its growth has taken place against a backdrop of regional challenges, limited resources, and national financial instability; yet, it has continued to progress through carefully planned initiatives, sound governance, and a firm commitment to education, research, and service. In recent years, this growth has become more coordinated and visible, supported by leadership that has prioritised institutional development, long-term planning, and student and community wellbeing. The transformation of the Faculty is not attributed to any one individual, but to a collective mindset that placed the future of the institution above personal recognition.
One of the most significant aspects of this transformation has been the strengthening of internal governance. The Faculty moved from ad-hoc systems to a framework anchored in transparency, accountability, and strategic direction. The introduction of a comprehensive five-year strategic management plan marked a turning point in how the Faculty envisioned its future. This plan aligned academic quality, staff development, infrastructure expansion, and community engagement under a unified vision. Departments and committees began to work within clearly defined terms of reference, supported by standard operating procedures and a monitoring and evaluation system that ensured continuity even during periods of administrative transition. At the same time, the introduction of an online staff appraisal system signaled the beginning of a more performance-oriented culture, strengthening accountability while acknowledging academic contribution in a structured manner.
These reforms provided the foundation for major advances in the physical and academic infrastructure. The revival and completion of the Clinical Training and Research Block (CTRB) stands out as one of the most transformative achievements. Long delayed and hindered by financial and administrative obstacles, the project was revitalised, restructured, and brought to completion despite the country’s profound economic crisis. Today, the CTRB serves as a cornerstone facility, housing teaching spaces, research laboratories, an auditorium, and advanced clinical training areas that significantly enhance the learning environment for medical students. After its completion, further upgrades such as piped medical gas systems, sedimentation control mechanisms, audiovisual installations, and enhanced networking capacity were secured through both Government allocations and external donor support, ensuring that the facility met modern operational standards.
The Faculty’s physical transformation extended beyond the CTRB. The proposal for a 12-storey Professorial Units Complex at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital (TH) was developed to meet national minimum standards for clinical training. Submitted to the University Grants Commission and endorsed by the University Council, it reflects an ambitious vision for future infrastructure that will accommodate specialised units, expanded clinical training, and multidisciplinary care. Other facility expansions, such as the upgrading of the audiovisual studio and the creation of specialised clinical service points in Thellipalai, Chavakachcheri, and Kondavil, were pursued with equal determination, ensuring that training and outreach extended beyond the main Faculty premises.
One of the most progressive additions to the Faculty’s services has been the establishment of a Clinical Genetics Unit within the CTRB. Supported by substantial contributions from global experts and institutions, this Unit is now positioned to lead diagnostics, genetic screening, and research in Northern Sri Lanka. The introduction of such specialised services not only strengthens academic training but also addresses long-standing community needs in a region marked by unique patterns of hereditary conditions.
Another major step forward in academic modernisation came with the development of a dedicated Medical Simulation Laboratory. Once fully operational, this facility will offer students a controlled environment to practice emergency care, procedural skills, and clinical decision-making before entering real patient settings. In line with global standards of medical education, the Laboratory represents an investment in student confidence, patient safety, and clinical quality. Parallel to this, the Faculty strengthened its commitment to quality assurance. It completed the national accreditation process of the Sri Lanka Medical Council, receiving satisfactory ratings in most domains and developing clear action plans to improve the remaining areas. Workshops on quality assurance, staff development, and leadership were organised to foster a culture of continuous improvement throughout the institution.
In recent years, the Faculty has also experienced extraordinary growth in research and international collaboration. The establishment of the Centre for Digital Epidemiology (CoDE) marked a major shift in the research capacity of the University. Within a remarkably short period, the Centre secured nearly Rs. one billion in research funding and created more than 100 employment opportunities for young researchers. Its projects span digital health, chronic disease, climate-related health risks, critical care, social determinants of health, and violence against women. The CoDE’s partnerships with leading institutions such as the Universities of Birmingham, Oxford and Manchester in England, Saskatchewan in Canada, and the National University of Singapore (NUS) have not only expanded the Faculty’s research profile but have also elevated its global visibility.
Large-scale interdisciplinary projects further enriched the Faculty’s research landscape. The Water Security through Participatory Action Research in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka (WASPAR) project on water security united six Faculties with international experts to address groundwater sustainability in the Northern Province, producing high-impact research, national policy engagement, and extensive community dialogue. Research collaborations extended into areas such as gender-based violence, planetary health, sub-fertility, adolescent mental well-being, trauma care, and physiotherapy development. The establishment of the SingHealth–NUS Regional Collaborating Centre at the Jaffna University added a new dimension, enabling joint programs in neurosurgery, nursing, trauma care, and student exchange.
Alongside these research achievements, one of the most meaningful transformations has been the strengthening of student well-being. The Faculty recognised that academic excellence cannot exist without emotional support, mental stability, and an environment that nurtures students as individuals. Under this vision, the student mentoring system was restructured to ensure consistent guidance for every student, with the involvement of over 100 mentors drawn from the Faculty and the TH. A Peer Support and Well-being Group was formed to provide confidential peer-to-peer assistance, while policies on disability access and inclusion ensured that students with special needs received appropriate support. These initiatives came together under a dedicated Well-being Centre, which offers counseling, rest spaces, health services, and opportunities for reflection and learning. The integration of these services has created one of the most comprehensive student support frameworks in Sri Lanka and is now being considered for University-wide replication.
The Faculty’s commitment to community engagement has remained strong throughout its development. Extensive outreach programs in areas such as palliative care, child protection, non-communicable disease prevention, maternal well-being, and disability services have connected medical education to real-world needs. Partnerships with community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) international NGOs, and diaspora groups strengthened the Faculty’s ability to deliver essential services to vulnerable populations. Public health teaching continued to prioritise ground-level immersion, ensuring that students developed an understanding of the social determinants of health in the region.
International partnerships played a critical role in the Faculty’s evolution. Engagement with global networks such as the Global Network for Academic Public Health (GNAPH), the Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health (APACPH), the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), and various World Health Organisation (WHO) platforms enhanced training opportunities and academic collaboration. The establishment of the International Collaboration Unit (ICU) has now created an organised mechanism to manage memorandums of understanding, strengthen global partnerships, and increase the visibility of the University on the international stage.
Looking back at this period of transformation, it becomes clear that the Faculty’s progress resulted from a strategic vision, a collaborative spirit, and the determination to uplift medical education and healthcare in the Northern Province. From infrastructure development and research expansion to student support and global partnerships, the Faculty has moved decisively into a new phase of academic and social relevance. As it stands poised to enter the next decade, the institution reflects the power of sustained effort and thoughtful leadership proving that even in challenging environments, growth is possible when guided by commitment, foresight, and a deep sense of responsibility toward the community that it serves.
The writer is a Temporary Demonstrator attached to the University’s Psychiatry Department
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The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication