International Relations Office KDU

Foreign delegates coordinated through International Relations Office (IRO) for participation at the recently concluded International Research Conference (IRC KDU) 2023

The Visit of the Delegation from the National Defence University, Malaysia

The Vice Chancellor of National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) Lieutenant General Datuk Mardzuki Bin Muhammad PJN PSAT DSDK PAT JSM PKK KAT AMK PJM kndu mpat psc MSc Soc Def and Strat Studies (UKM) BSc Civil Engineering (University of Hartford) and the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Ts. Dr. Azizi Miskon visits the KDU on 06th September 2023 along with participation of 16th International Research Conference 2023.

They held a formal bilateral with the Vice Chancellor of KDU Rear Admiral HGU Dammika Kumara VSV USP psc MMaritimePol BSc (DS). The bilateral marked a historic moment as it signified the first international bilateral session to be chaired by the new Vice Chancellor of KDU.

Former Vice Chancellor Maj Gen Milinda Peiris RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc MPhil, Brig Chinthaka Wickramasinghe Deputy Vice Chancellor (Defence and Admin), Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Dean Research and Development, Director International Relations Dr Harinda Vidanage represented KDU representation.

Vice Chancellor Rear Admiral HGU Dhammika Kumara reflected on the significance of the bi lateral where he observed that the meeting was held in the backdrop of the first-year anniversary since signing of the MoU between KDU and NDUM.The Vice Chancellor of KDU express his gratitude to the UPNM for selecting the KDU as Co-Host of 25th Asian Research Forum (ARF) Heads of Defence Universities/Colleges/ Institutions Meeting (ARF-HDUCIM) 2023. Both sides explored further collaboration across a range of themes and bringing together various faculties to initiate dialogues on potential research projects and joint conferences.

At the end of the bilateral, the UPNM delegation was taken on as campus tour and hosted for lunch by the Vice Chancellor at the ‘Walawwa,’ the late Prime Minister General Sir John Kotelawala’s mansion preserved as a museum

New Director, International Relations Takes Office

Dr. Harinda Vidanage is Director, International Relations Office (IRO) & Founding Director, Centre for Strategic Assessment (CSA), Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Sri Lanka, he was formerly Director, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS), prior to his assignment at the BCIS he was Assistant Professor of International Relations, St. Lawrence University, New York from 2012 – 2016. Where his teaching focused on International Relations, Global Cyber Politics, and International Security.

Dr Vidanage gained his PhD from the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom as an ORSAS and Principles Scholar. He graduated from University of Colombo Sri Lanka with First Class honors in Political Science. He is a Senior Fulbright Scholar and one of the few Sri Lankan scholar recipients of the prestigious Fulbright Scholar in Residence fellowship awarded by the US Fulbright Commission.

Full Bio: https://kdu.ac.lk/international-relations/meet-iro-team/

The Regional Indo-Pacific Strategy Coordinator for USA Visits KDU.

The new regional Indo-pacific strategy coordinator for The United States, Mr Dustin Bickel visited KDU and made a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor Major General Milinda Peiris RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc MPhil (Ind) on 09th August 2023. In the discussion that ensued Vice Chancellor recalled the relationship KDU established with the office of the Indo Pacific Coordinator, through Mr Bickel’s predecessor Dr Ari Nathan.

Mr Bickel held a round of discussion with Director of International Relations, Centre for Strategic Assessment (CSA) Dr Harinda Vidanage and Dr Sanath De Silva, the Programme manager Centre for Strategic Assessment. The visit of the new regional Indo-pacific Strategy Coordinator was aimed at further strengthening the ties. During the discussion he elaborated on potential avenues for future collaboration and stressed the continuous engagement his office would like to maintain with the KDU.

Ada newspaper - https://biturl.top/UZ7bEz

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