The Centre for Heritage Studies of University of Kelaniya is an interdisciplinary Centre which brings together researchers and students from a variety of academic as well as professional disciplines such as Archaeology, History, Fine Arts and other Social Sciences and Humanities.

The Center for Heritage Studies disseminates knowledge through research, field tours, workshops, lectures and International Conferences, “Hands on Heritage” workshop series and Heritage Lecture Series while working hand-in-hand with heritage stakeholders to protect the past and secure the future. The Centre was re-established in September 2017 out of the former Centre for Asian Studies.

Among the potential research pursuits identified by the Centre are folk archives, folk songs and poems, vernacular languages, religious heritages, live heritage, heritage families, patriots and patriotic heritage, maritime heritage and culture of small islands, estate sector, migrant labour, East West encounter, household archaeology and cemetery studies