Following the successful fifth annual meeting among the University of Kelaniya, Kanazawa University, and Chukyo University, Japan, a formal meeting was held by the Japanese delegates with Senior Professor Nilanthi de Silva, Vice-chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, on 5^th of September 2024 at the Vice-chancellor’s office.

The Vice-chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, Professor Tetsuya Sagawa from Kanazawa University, Professor Shohei Kokudo, Professor Tohiru Koizo, and Professor Takahiro Nakano from Chukyo University, had an extensive discussion.

This meeting underscored the growing collaboration between the three institutions and focused on the future of their academic partnerships. During the meeting, the Japanese delegates expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor for her unwavering support in strengthening the relationship between the universities. They also shared their interest in establishing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, and the Graduate School of Health and Sport Sciences and the School of Health and Sport Sciences, Chukyo University. This MoU aims to initiate a student exchange programme that would benefit students from both institutions.

The Vice-chancellor warmly acknowledged the efforts of both the Japanese delegates and the Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, praising the progress made in fostering international academic collaboration. She also provided valuable guidance on the steps needed to facilitate the student exchange programme under the existing MoU between Kanazawa University and the University of Kelaniya. She offered specific advice on the procedures for the proposed MoU with Chukyo University.

This meeting further solidified the commitment of all three universities to deepen their collaboration in the fields of sport science, physical education, and student mobility, ensuring that students and faculty benefit from the international exchange of knowledge and expertise.

Senior Lecturer M. K. A. Anoma Rathnayaka, Head of the Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, University of Kelaniya, and the academic staff of the same department participated in the discussion. Senior Lecturer Dr. Charika Wickramaratne, Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, was the coordinator of the event.