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NSYSU and University of Ruhuna establish Taiwan and Sri Lanka Marine Research Station

[Provided by NSYSU Office of Research and Development and Office of International Affairs]
National Sun Yat-sen University established new international academic collaboration and gained a new foothold overseas! Following the joint establishment of Taiwan and Sri Lanka Environmental Change Sciences and Technology Innovation Center with the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in February 2019, NSYSU tied a collaboration with the University of Ruhuna – an institution in the south of Sri Lanka and established Taiwan and Sri Lanka Marine Research Station (TSMRS), which was officially inaugurated on December 4th.

To increase international competitiveness of NSYSU, the University actively engages in cooperation with Sri Lanka in the field of marine and biological sciences research. The marine resources of Sri Lanka are abundant and diverse, which is of benefit to the research conducted by the already established Taiwan and Sri Lanka Environmental Change Sciences and Technology Innovation Center. Besides the above, an MOU was signed with the University of Ruhuna to establish Taiwan and Sri Lanka Marine Research Station. The station focuses on the research of “Land ecosystem and conservation: developing biochemical compounds and mushrooms” and “Technology for smart farming”. The Station concentrates on scientific research and cultivating professionals in the field of marine and biological sciences, and, at the same time, on promoting academic relations between Taiwan and Sri Lanka.

The University of Ruhuna, located in Matara on the south point of Sri Lanka, is the only public university in the south of the country. Both universities have already been closely working on research in the field of biological and marine sciences from 2017. NSYSU Vice President for Research and Development Mitch Chou hopes, that the establishment of the Station will facilitate samples collection and on-spot analysis to the students and teachers, to better understand the variables related to the changes in the marine environment of South Asia, new marine species and climate change. As for global warming research, NSYSU actively internationalizes its academic scope and conducts in-depth marine research. To cultivate professionals, the University obtained financial support for recruitment of students as part of the New Southbound Policy to expand the scope of academic research, short-term visits, internship and double-degree programs between students and teachers in Taiwan and Sri Lanka.

Vice President Chou thanked Dr. Sujeewa Amarassena of the University of Ruhuna for leading the team of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences & Technology and co-organizing the solemn opening ceremony celebrating the establishment of Taiwan and Sri Lanka Marine Research Station. He also expressed his appreciation to Henry H. H. Chen – Director of the Science and Technology Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India for coming to the ceremony and witnessing another milestone in the cooperation in research between Taiwan and Sri Lanka. Director Chen mentioned, that the Ministry of Science and Technology supports higher academic institutions in the establishment of overseas research centers, promotion of international academic and industry-academia cooperation, and fostering of international exchange. He couldn’t wait to see the inauguration and the successful operation of the Marine Research Station established by the two universities and expressed hope that valuable research results will be achieved under bilateral cooperation.

This time, the NSYSU team was led by Vice President for Research and Development Mitch Chou and was composed of 17 professors from the College of Engineering, the College of Management and the College of Marine Sciences. Besides participating in the inauguration of Taiwan and Sri Lanka Marine Research Station, the team visited the University of Sri Jayewardenepura again and the University of Peradeniya, both in Sri Lanka, while the representatives of the College of Engineering visited the University of Moratuwa. Both parties discussed the scope of bilateral cooperation more in-depth, and the University of Moratuwa even expressed interest in choosing NSYSU as an internship destination for the students. The representatives of the College of Management will discuss in person the possible visit of the delegates of the University of Kelaniya to NSYSU.


(Edited by Public Affairs Division)
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