MIT, Harvard show interest to collaborate with SL’s Climate Change University

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that efforts are underway to establish a Climate Change University in Sri Lanka next year and prestigious institutions like Harvard and MIT have expressed interest to collaborate with it.

The President made these remarks at a briefing held on the progress of Climate Change and Green Growth held at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo between officials of the Climate Change Secretariat led by the President’s Adviser on Climate Change Ruwan Wijewardene.

The President said the University Grants Commission had recently identified approximately 130 scientists who have gained international recognition for their research on climate change. These scientists are expected to be brought together, along
with their respective international affiliations, as part of this initiative.

Wickremesinghe further said that the International Climate Change University would be a post-graduate institution solely focused on research and does not offer undergraduate courses. Any country or organization that contributes to the university becomes a stakeholder and gains membership on the Board of Governance. 

The Korean Exim Bank has expressed interest in partnering with the university. President Wickremesinghe urged that all future research in the field of climate change should be conducted at this institution.

The President also requested the consideration of short-term courses for government officials.