An awareness and scholarship presentation programme for PhD candidates organized by the National University of Singapore (NUS) was held today (31) at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, under the patronage of State Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Madura Senaviratne.
Recognizing the national importance of expanding higher education opportunities for Sri Lankan students abroad, the event was jointly organized by the NUS and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Education and NUS was signed in May 2025 to strengthen academic collaboration, research partnerships, and educational opportunities. As a result, Sri Lankan scholars qualified in fields such as engineering, medicine, and computer science were identified to receive PhD scholarships under this initiative.
The NUS currently ranks 8th globally and 1st in Asia in the QS World University Rankings.
The primary aim of today’s event was to guide Sri Lankan PhD aspirants on preparing competitive applications and to enhance academic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Singapore.
Addressing the event, Dr. Senaviratne commended the academic achievements of Sri Lankan postgraduate students and encouraged them to contribute to national development through innovation and global collaboration with NUS.
He expressed gratitude to the NUS delegation and highlighted that this partnership represents not only academic cooperation but also a symbol of friendship between the two nations. The Minister further reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening educational and research ties with Singapore in the years ahead.
The event was attended by UGC Chairman Senior Professor Kapila Senavirathne, officials of the Ministry of Education, and NUS delegates including Professor Wong Limsoon, Deputy Dean of Graduate Studies and Director of the Integrated Science and Engineering Programme, and Professor Chan Mun Choon, Deputy Dean of Graduate Studies, along with several Sri Lankan PhD candidates.
