æz ɐ ɹɪzˈʌlt, ˌɔn twˈɛnti sˈɛvən ˈɔːɡəst nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ˈeɪt, ðə pɹˈaɪm mˈɪnɪstɚ dʒˈeɪ. ˈɑːɹ. dʒˈeɪɐwˌɔːɹdiːn dᵻklˈɛɹd ˈoʊpən ðə ɹuːhˈuːnə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi kˈɑːlɪdʒ æt mˈɛdɐwˌɑːɾə, mætˈɑːɹɹə, wɪð pɹˈɑːf. mˈɜːvɪn dˈʌbəljˌuː. ðənæbˈɑːduː æz ɪts dɹˈɛktɚ.
As a result, on 27 August 1978, the Prime Minister J. R. Jayawardene declared open the Ruhuna University College at Meddawatta, Matara, with Prof. Mervyn W. Thenabadu as its drector.