The University of Colombo (UoC) and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) of India have signed an agreement marking an advancement in the field of Ayurveda education in the UoC Faculty of Indigenous Medicine. It was an extension to the agreement signed last year which emphasises the shared commitment of both institutions to enhance the study of Ayurveda and traditional systems of medicine. BHU Dean of the Faculty of Ayurveda Prof P K Goswami and BHU Department of Ayurveda Siddantha Prof C S Panday visited UoC to discuss progress and future tasks of the agreement. The meeting was chaired by UoC Vice Chancellor Prof H D Karunarathna, and coordinated by UoC Faculty of Indigenous Medicine Dean Prof P K Perera.

FIM-UoC Coordinator of the Unit of Research and Development of Natural Products Associate Prof S D Hapuarachchi, and FIM-UoC Unit of Research and Development of Natural Products secretary Dr J M Dahanayake participated in discussion of future research collaborations. The newly formed partnership promises to foster an exchange of pedagogical practices, enrich the academic resources available to students and researchers, and enhance the global understanding of Ayurveda and traditional medicinal systems, the University said. Through this collaboration, both universities aim to cultivate a deeper appreciation and knowledge of their respective traditional systems of medicine, thereby contributing to the holistic advancement of the field.