Deepening Academic Partnership: Sungkyunkwan University delegation returns to the University of Colombo

University of Colombo had the pleasure of hosting a three-member delegation from Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Republic of South Korea, from16th to 21st July. This visit aimed to review the progress of Honours Degree Program in Biomolecular Science and Industrial Biotechnology (BSIB), discuss the ongoing collaboration and explore future directions for the joint initiative supported by the Leading University Project for International Cooperation (LUPIC). The SKKU delegation was led by Prof. Sangho Lee (Project Director for LUPIC), and it included Prof. Junho Kim and Prof. Yang Si Young from the Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University. The visit was coordinated by Dr. Duleepa Pathiraja and Dr. Sachini Amarasekara of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo.

The delegation commenced their visit with a courtesy meeting with Vice Chancellor Prof. I. M. Karunatilaka where discussions centered on the achievements of the BSIB and MSc programs to date and their future direction. The following day, the delegates met with the outgoing and incoming Deans of the Faculty of Science, Prof. Upul Sonnadara and Prof. I. M. K. Fernando respectively, along with other faculty members, to exchange feedback and outline the next steps for further strengthening the collaboration.

One of the main highlights of the visit was an open seminar conducted for students, featuring three informative sessions: Prof. Sangho Lee spoke on protein structure determination using X-ray crystallography and Cryo-EM, Prof. Kim presented on current trends in computational genomics, with a particular focus on somatic mutations, and Prof. Yang explored the topic of immunotolerance. The seminar provided students with valuable exposure to cutting-edge research and international academic perspectives.

The delegation also met with the Level 3 and Level 4 BSIB Honours degree undergraduates, engaging in candid conversations about their academic journey and gathering feedback on the program. The visit reaffirmed the strong partnership between the two universities and set the stage for continued collaboration, with both sides expressing enthusiasm for the program’s continued growth and long-term success.