University of Kelaniya Welcomes Delegation from Kanazawa and Chukyo Universities

The University of Kelaniya further strengthened its international academic engagement with Japan when a delegation from Kanazawa University and Chukyo University, Japan, met with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Narada Fernando of the University of Kelaniya, on 24 August 2026, the day of his assumption of duties.

Held at the Vice-Chancellor’s office, the meeting provided a valuable opportunity for the visiting delegation to convey their greetings to the Vice-Chancellor and to discuss the progress and future direction of the academic collaborations between the Japanese universities and the University of Kelaniya.

The delegation comprised Professor Tetsuya Sagawa, Professor, Institute of Human and Social Sciences, Kanazawa University, and Professor Takahiro Nakano and Professor Shohei Kokudo, Professors of the School of Health and Sport Sciences, Chukyo University, together with eight students from Chukyo University and Kanazawa University.

A progress meeting was subsequently held by the Vice-Chancellor with the participation of Professor Chaminda Abeysinghe, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences; Dr Nilantha Ramanayaka, Head of the Department of Sport Science and Physical Education; and academic staff of the Department. The meeting focused on reviewing the progress of existing academic collaboration and discussing opportunities for further strengthening institutional and academic partnerships.

Particular attention was given to the longstanding collaboration between Kanazawa University and the University of Kelaniya, including academic exchange, collaborative research and student and staff engagement. The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the emerging collaboration between Chukyo University's School of Health and Sport Sciences and the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, including the possibility of establishing a formal academic exchange agreement between the two institutions.

The discussions also highlighted the collaborative children's health survey conducted by Kanazawa University, Chukyo University and the University of Kelaniya in collaboration with the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka. The participating academics exchanged views on the findings of the research and the potential for further collaborative work aimed at promoting the health and well-being of children in Sri Lanka.

The meeting further emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for student mobility, collaborative research, academic exchange and intercultural learning. The participation of students from Chukyo University provided an additional dimension to the visit, strengthening opportunities for direct interaction and international exposure.

The meeting with the Vice-Chancellor was particularly significant as it took place on the first day of his assumption of duties, demonstrating the importance attached to international academic partnerships and the University's continued commitment to strengthening global academic networks.

The University of Kelaniya expressed its appreciation to the visiting academics and students from Kanazawa University and Chukyo University for their continued engagement and for visiting the University during this important occasion.

The discussions concluded with a shared commitment to further developing academic, research and student exchange activities between the institutions and exploring new avenues for long-term collaboration in sport science, health, physical education, children's well-being and related fields.