Recent agreements between Southern Illinois University Carbondale and higher education institutions in Sri Lanka have created opportunities for students and strengthened ties between the United States and Sri Lanka. A Lankan delegation, led by Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe, conducted an in-person discussion in December 2023 with officials from SIU. The talks centered on potential collaborations between SIU and higher education institutions in Sri Lanka, aiming to create a window to advance opportunities for Sri Lankan students.

Following a dialogue and a formal proposal from SIU, the Sri Lankan Embassy shared the opportunity with public and private educational institutions across the country. As a result, several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) have been signed throughout the year. “This marked a significant step in fostering educational partnerships between the US and Sri Lanka via a single distinguished institution like SIU,” Samarasinghe said. Forging international ties fits well with SIU’s strategic plan, Imagine 2030, and its pillars of student success and diversity, equity and inclusion, vice chancellor for research and dean of the Graduate School Costas Tsatsoulis said. “International students, including students from Sri Lanka, enrich our campus,” Tsatsoulis said.

“We look forward to seeing more Sri Lankans on our campus, and we are glad to provide them with hands-on opportunities at a Midwestern doctoral research university with a proud history of top-level teaching.” NSBM Green University finalised its MoU with SIU in March 2024. This was followed by agreements with the National Institute of Business Management (NIBM), the Nagananda International Institute for Buddhist Studies (NIIBS), and the recent finalisation with Horizon Campus. With additional MoUs in progress between SIU and the University of Moratuwa, and the Open University of Sri Lanka, this initiative highlights the shared commitment to advancing academic excellence and international cooperation.

“These MoUs pave the way for a brighter future for students in Sri Lanka,” Samarasinghe said. “We hope SIU’s initiative will inspire further collaboration between institutions in the US and Sri Lanka, and we extend our sincere appreciation and gratitude to SIU Carbondale and its officials – Costas Tsatsoulis and Karen Jones, associate dean and director of the Graduate School, and Peter Li, director of the center for international education – for their unwavering efforts and commitment.” First chartered in 1869 a normal college (a school for teachers), Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a US public research university. SIU Carbondale is ranked in the top 5% for research among all US higher education institutions, and it is designated by the Carnegie Classification for Institutions of Higher Education as a doctoral university with high research activity – an institution that receives a substantial amount of external funds annually for research, training and servicebased grants and contracts.