The Aquinas College of Higher Studies was founded in 1953, by the late Very Rev. Fr. Peter A. Pillai OMI, Rector of St. Joseph’s College, at its premises in Darley Road, Colombo 10 as an autonomous higher educational institute with the approval, blessings and the inspiration of His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Cooray OMI., the 6th Archbishop of Colombo. Aquinas College was registered in 1954 by the then Ministry of Education Ceylon (as it was then called), and in 1954 moved in to their permanent abode at No.30, Maradana Road, Colombo 8.
The Aquinas College of Higher Studies is a nonprofit educational institution administered by the Catholic Church under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Colombo, devoted to education and philanthropic activities. It had contributed much to the development of the nation, by conducting numerous higher educational and professional programmes for the benefit of our youth in Sri Lanka.