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.
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.