On September 27, the opening ceremony of theJoint Center for Education and Research between University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) and University of Ruhuna (UoR) was held in the University of Ruhuna in Matara, a southern city of Sri Lanka.Academician Hou Jianguo, Vice President and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committeeof Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) , Academician Wu Yueliang, Vice President of UCAS, Mohan de Silva, Chairman of the University Grants Committee (UGC) of Sri Lanka, and Nayana Alagiyawanna, Vice Chancellor of UoR, jointly unveiled the center.
On September 28, the opening ceremony of the Joint Center for Education and Research between UCAS and University of Peradeniya (UoP) was held in the University of Peradeniya in Kandy, the second largest city of Sri Lanka. Academician Hou Jianguo, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President of CAS, Academician Wu Yueliang, Vice President of UCAS, Hapurachchi, Secretary to the Ministry of City Planning and Water Supply of Sri Lanka , and Upul Dissanayake, Chancellor of the UoP, jointly inaugurated the center.
More than 100 people from China and Sri Lanka attended the opening ceremony. The UCAS overseas Joint Centers for Science and Education are built on the basis of the China-Sri Lanka Joint Center for Education and Research (CSL-CER). As an important part of Education and Research Projects of CAS, the CSL-CER was an active implementation the MOU between CAS and the Ministry of Higher Education of Sri Lanka, which was signed by Bai Chunli, President of CAS, and the Minister of Higher Education of Sri Lanka during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Sri Lanka in 2014. It was also the fruit of the Cooperation Agreement signed by the CAS and the Ministry of City Planning and Water Supply of Sri Lanka when the Sri Lanka’s President paid a return visit to China in March, 2015. As the Sri Lanka-centered platform for research and professional training in South Asia, the CSL-CER mainly cooperates on issues related to ocean sciences, ecological conservation and talent cultivation. This center is undertaken by South China Sea Institute of Oceanology and Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences.
UCAS participates in building the CSL-CER as a council member, and cultivates high-level managerial and technological talents to foster the development of science and technology in Sri Lanka. 55 Sri Lanka students were enrolled into UCAS to pursue a master degree or a PhD through the Chinese Government Scholarship, CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship Programme, CAS “The Belt and Road” Master Fellowship Programme, UCAS Scholarship, etc.
For the first time, UCAS held its opening ceremony of the Joint Center for Research and Education overseas, marking a new stage of cooperation and exchanges between UCAS and universities in Sri Lanka and of the integration of science and education with the CAS. In the future, UCAS will further strengthen cooperation with research and education institutes in Sri Lanka through overseas joint centers, admit more students with prominent performance to study in UCAS, boost scientific research capacity of Sri Lanka, and constantly contribute to Campaign to Promote Education of the Belt and Road Initiative.
By FAN Jingjing
