The Center for Environmental Studies (CES) was established in 1992 as a separate entity of the University of Peradeniya, with the intention of disseminating sound environmental knowledge on environmental management. During the time of founding, the CES acted as the main academic entity of the country that provided training on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for development projects, and thus became an academic entity which primarily offers training programs in environmental management.
After revising its mandate in 2008, the CES focused more on providing consultancies for environmental projects at national level. As a leading university in the country with a large pool of experts in diverse fields, the CES is capable of providing consultancies on a wide range of environmental issues. The ultimate goal of providing such expertise to the industry is to achieve sustainable development and a healthy environment.
With the involvement of the CES, in 2021, an Environmental Policy for the University was introduced. Consequently, the mandate of the CES was slightly amended by adding more responsibilities to assist in environmental management, and the CES has been assisting the University towards implementing an effective environmental management system to make an eco-friendly Campus.
It is evident that the CES is now being operated not only as an entity for academic activities but also as a Center with a broader scope in promoting environmental protection, environmental management and sustainable development. Therefore, the University of Peradeniya decided to change its name as “Centre for Environmental Sustainability (CES)” with effect from November 2022.
