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The first unitary arts and research university in Sri Lanka, the University of Peradaniya, retains much from the early days following its formation from a merger of the Ceylon University College and the Medical College in 1942.

Five of its nine faculties ¨C arts (established in 1942), dental science (1943), agriculture (1947), veterinary medicine and animal science (1947) and engineering (1950) date back to its first decade, as does the 700 hectare campus. The campus has earned the title "Garden University" and is located on the outskirts of the city of Kandy.

Campus landmarks include the Akbar bridge across the Mahaweli River, linking the faculty of engineering with the rest of the campus and was designed by an early dean of engineering.

The university was initially called the University of Ceylon and then it became the University of Sri Lanka, Peredeniya campus when the nation dropped its colonial name in 1972, and took the name Sri Lanka in 1978.

It aims to be "a centre of excellence in higher education with national, regional and global standing", while describing itself as "the most comprehensive university in Sri Lanka today". The five early faculties were joined in the 1960s by medicine and science and in the 21st Century by allied health sciences and management.

The university has a frog, the Lankamates Pera, named in its honour. Electrical engineer Tharindu Dayaratne was among the designers of Sri Lanka¡¯s first space satellite, the Raavana1, launched in June 2019, while the medical school produces around 200 graduates a year and has developed a speciality in the treatment of oral cancers.