Visit of the European Union External Action Services Director for Asia, and Delegates of the European Union in Sri Lanka, to the University of Colombo

A High Profile Delegation of the European Union Headquarters in Brussels met with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Kshanika Hirimburegama on the 24^th of November 2011. The European Union Delegation consisted of  Mr. Seamus Gillespie, European Union External Action Services (EEAS) Director for Asia; Mr. Willy Vandenberghe, Head of Operations of the European Union Delegation to Sri Lanka; Mr. Jorge Peydo Aznar, EEAS Desk Officer for Sri Lanka, and Mr. Simone Brotini from the Operations Section of the EU Delegation to Sri Lanka.


The European Union External Action Services Director for Asia, Mr.Gillespie expressed his pleasure in having the opportunity to visit the University of Colombo. The Director also commented on the progress and development he witnesses post-conflict Sri Lanka.

The Vice Chancellor introduced the many initiatives taken by the University of Colombo in order to contribute to the spheres of development, reconciliation and reconstruction in Sri Lanka.  Prof. Hirimburegama stated that the University of Colombo shines as a beacon of multi-ethnicity in the South Asian region. The Dean of the Faculty of Education, Prof. Marie Perera also explained the significant role played by the University of Colombo in enhancing social cohesion through curriculum changes as well as encouraging link languages to be taught in schools in post conflict areas. These were seen as significant efforts towards the development of Education in Sri Lanka.

The Director for Asia also expressed interest in future avenues of collaboration between the European Union and the University of Colombo, especially in terms of increasing Sri Lanka’s involvement in Science and Research programs of the European Union. The success of the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship programme in Sri Lanka and methods of increasing awareness regarding the programme in Sri Lanka were also discussed. Conducting an Erasmus Mundus workshop in the near future in this regard was suggested by the delegation. Mr.Selvakumaran, Dean of the Faculty of Law commented on the many existing exchange collaborations of the Faculty of Law and the University of Colombo in Europe that aim towards enhancing the ties with the European Union.

The European Union Delegates also met with students representing the different faculties of the University of Colombo, and the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss Sri Lankan students’ ideas on higher education in Europe.

The Deans of the Faculty of Arts, Education, Law, Science and Graduate Studies, as well as the Registrar of the University of Colombo and the Acting Director of the International Unit of the University of Colombo were present at this event.