Senior Professor Kolitha Bandara Wijesekara, Vice Chancellor of Uva Wellassa University (UWU), initiated official pre-talk discussions with two world class Higher Education Institutions in India – Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), and SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Ramapuram on 19 and 20 November 2025, aiming to strengthen future academic collaboration.

The Vice Chancellor was accompanied by Dr. T. Pratheepan, Acting Librarian of UWU. Discussions focused on potential collaboration in student and faculty exchange, joint research, collaborative conferences, twinning programmes, and the establishment of Centres of Excellence.

During the visit to VIT Vellore on 19 November 2025, the UWU delegation met with Dr. G. Viswanathan, Founder and Chancellor of VIT; Dr. V. S. Kanchana Bhaaskaran, Vice Chancellor; Prof. Dr. R. Seenivasan, Director,International Relations Cell; and senior officials Prof. Kalyanaraman and Prof. Lokesh. other key academic leaders.

On 20 November 2025, the delegation visited SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Ramapuram, where they were received by Dr. R. Shivakumar, Chairman, SRM Group of Institutions, and Dr. M. Sakthi Ganesh, Dean , Faculty of Engineering & Technology, along with the Dean of Dental Sciences, the Dean of Architecture and Prof.K.Rajah Head of the Department of Computer Science and other key officials. The discussions highlighted opportunities for strengthening cross-border academic and research collaboration. In recognition of his contributions to previous collaborative initiatives, Dr. T. Pratheepan was formally honoured by the SRM leadership.

Both visits were marked by formal receptions, cultural exchanges, and the exchange of mementoes, reflecting strong mutual interest in long-term institutional cooperation. These pre-talks represent an important step towards expanding UWU’s global academic partnerships.