# General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University

> joint services and civil students university in Colombo, Sri Lanka

**Wikidata**: [Q5532198](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5532198)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Sir_John_Kotelawala_Defence_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/general-sir-john-kotelawala-defence-university

## Summary
General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) is a joint services and civil university located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Established in 1980, it functions as both a university and a staff college. It is a member of the International Association of Universities.

## Key Facts
- **Formal Name:** General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
- **Common Abbreviation:** KDU
- **Location:** Colombo, Sri Lanka (Coordinates: 6.8177, 79.8903)
- **Inception:** 1980
- **Institution Type:** University, Staff College
- **Membership:** International Association of Universities
- **Website:** http://www.kdu.ac.lk/
- **Academic Identifiers:** GRID ID: grid.448842.6; ROR ID: 04n37he08; Ringgold ID: 243144
- **Social Media:** Twitter (@Kotelawala_uni); Facebook (KotelawalaDefenceUniversity)

## FAQs
### Q: Where is General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University located?
A: The university is located in Colombo, Sri Lanka, specifically at coordinates 6.8177 latitude and 79.8903 longitude.

### Q: When was the university established?
A: General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University was established in 1980.

### Q: What type of institution is KDU?
A: It is a joint services and civil students university. It is also classified as a staff college and is a member of the International Association of Universities.

### Q: What are the official online platforms for KDU?
A: The official website is http://www.kdu.ac.lk/. The university also maintains a web feed at https://kdu.ac.lk/feed/ and utilizes a Shibboleth API endpoint for identity services.

## Why It Matters
General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University plays a significant role in Sri Lanka's higher education and defence sectors. As a "joint services and civil students university," it occupies a unique niche by integrating military education with civilian academic standards. This dual function allows it to serve as a staff college for defence personnel while simultaneously offering broader academic opportunities.

Its membership in the International Association of Universities underscores its standing in the global academic community. The institution bridges the gap between specialized military training and conventional university education, contributing to the professional development of both service members and civilian students in the region.

## Notable For
- **Dual Classification:** Uniquely identified as both a university and a staff college.
- **Integrated Student Body:** Caters to a mix of joint services (military) and civil students.
- **International Recognition:** Holds membership in the International Association of Universities (IAU).
- **Long-standing History:** Established in 1980, making it a long-standing institution in Sri Lanka.
- **Strategic Location:** Situated in Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.

## Body

### Location and Geography
General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University is situated in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The precise geographic coordinates are 6.8177 latitude and 79.8903 longitude.

### History and Inception
The institution was founded in 1980. Over the decades, it has developed into a recognized center for higher education, identified in global databases such as the World Higher Education Database (WHED) and the Global Research Identifier Database (GRID).

### Institutional Identity
The university is widely known by its acronym, **KDU**. It is distinct in its classification as a "staff college" alongside its status as a university. It maintains a digital presence through various academic and social platforms, including:
- **Website:** http://www.kdu.ac.lk/
- **Web Feed:** https://kdu.ac.lk/feed/
- **Twitter:** @Kotelawala_uni (joined July 13, 2015)
- **Facebook:** KotelawalaDefenceUniversity

### Academic and Technical Infrastructure
The university utilizes modern identity management systems for its digital services, specifically employing a Shibboleth API endpoint (https://idp.kdu.ac.lk/idp/shibboleth). It is indexed under several academic and library authority identifiers, including:
- **ISNI:** 0000000404940761
- **VIAF ID:** 570145858278323022570
- **Library of Congress Authority ID:** no2016027873
- **RINGGOLD ID:** 243144

## References

1. Open ISNI for Organizations
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. ROR release v1.19
4. Google Knowledge Graph
5. [Source](http://www.kdu.ac.lk/)
6. GRID Release 2016-05-31
7. Quora
8. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
9. [Source](https://orcid.org/signin)
10. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
11. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
12. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)