On 3 June, the first session of the Russia-Lanka university association of medical and related
sciences was held in the library of Kursk State Medical University with the participation of
the heads and representatives from 19 universities in Russia and Sri Lanka. The Director of
the Department of Medical Education and Personnel Policy in Healthcare of Health Ministry
of the Russian Federation, Letnikova Lyudmila Ivanovna, addressed the participants of the
first session with a welcoming speech. The attendees included the State Minister of Health,
Sri-Lanka Hon. Dr. Seetha Arambepola Kumari, the Deputy Governor of the Kursk region,
Russia, Belostotsky Andrey Viktorovich, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Russian Federation to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic
of Maldives Dzhagaryan Levan Semyonovich, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation
(October 2021 – April 2024), Prof. Liyanage Janita Abeyvikrema.
sciences was held in the library of Kursk State Medical University with the participation of
the heads and representatives from 19 universities in Russia and Sri Lanka. The Director of
the Department of Medical Education and Personnel Policy in Healthcare of Health Ministry
of the Russian Federation, Letnikova Lyudmila Ivanovna, addressed the participants of the
first session with a welcoming speech. The attendees included the State Minister of Health,
Sri-Lanka Hon. Dr. Seetha Arambepola Kumari, the Deputy Governor of the Kursk region,
Russia, Belostotsky Andrey Viktorovich, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Russian Federation to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic
of Maldives Dzhagaryan Levan Semyonovich, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation
(October 2021 – April 2024), Prof. Liyanage Janita Abeyvikrema.
Acting Deputy Governor of the Kursk Region, A.V. Belostotskiy noted the immense
importance of the association for developing educational exports from the Kursk Region and
assured the Sri Lankan party that all the conditions had been created for a comfortable and
safe stay of students from Sri Lanka and other countries in the region.
The State Minister of Healthcare in Sri Lanka, Hon. Dr. Seetha Arambepola Kumari invited
Russian colleagues and students to do internships at medical institutions in Sri Lanka and
stated the significant need of the country in university education, which exceeds the
available capacity by more than four times.
First deputy minister of healthcare of the Kursk Region, P.V. Kalutskiy greeted the foreign
guests of the session in Kursk and noted the significant importance of Kursk State Medical
University in providing medical personnel not only to Russia, but also to medical institutions
abroad.
The Russia-Lanka university association of medical and related sciences was created in May
2023, at the request of the Minister of Healthcare in Russia. The Rector of the Kursk State
Medical University, Professor V.A. Lazarenko, heads the association.
The purpose of the association is to establish and strengthen ties between Russian and Sri
Lankan medical institutions, and to provide them with a platform to conduct joint research,
seminars, conferences, and share the use of resources.
16 university representatives spoke at the session and shared their experiences with foreign
students, made interesting proposals on improving the association’s activities, cooperation
between the universities of the two countries, and a format for the exchange within the
framework of cooperation:
Nadezhda Alexandrovna Bylova, Vice-Rector for International Relations of the
Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov
B. Sunil S De Silva, Dean of the Health Sciences Faculty of The Open University of Sri
Lanka
Heva Dewage Chamila Prasad Jayarathna, Minister of Education of the Democratic
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in the Russian Federation
Alexander Nikolaevich Khudin, Rector of Kursk State University
Prof. MD Lamawansa, Vice-chancellor Peradeniya University
Inna Viktorovna Ivanova, Rector of Ivanovo State Medical University
Rajith Abeywickrema, Consultant Surgeon, Teaching Hospital Galle Dept of Surgery,
Sri Lanka
Chichanovskaya Lesya Vasilyevna, Rector of Tver State Medical University
Ranjana Wickrema Seneviratne Gampha Wickramarachchi Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Indigenous Medicine
Koroleva Natalia Gennadievna, Head of the Department of International Relations
of the I.I. Mechnikov Northwestern State Medical University
Pathmalal M. Manage, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Serkin Dmitry Mikhailovich – Head of the Scientific Department of the Chita State
Medical Academy
Sujeewa Amarasena, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna
Pisklakova Svetlana Antonovna, Head of the International Activities Department of
Omsk State Medical University
Mangaleswaran Thampoe, Vice Chancellor of University of Vavuniya
Stepashov Roman Vladimirovich, Head of the Department of International Activities
of the Kursk State Agrarian University named after I.I. Ivanov
Concluding the session, the chairman of the Russian-Sri Lankan university association for
medicine and allied science, KSMU rector professor V.A. Lazarenko thanked all the
participants of the meeting and outlined the association’s plans for the near future,
concerning, in particular, mentoring, elective education, organizing students’ access to
medical practice, and opening Russian language learning centers at universities in Sri-Lanka.
At the end of the session, the international guests were shown the possibilities of the new
modern medical center – KSMU University Clinic, opened in February of this year.
University of Indigenous Medicine
Koroleva Natalia Gennadievna, Head of the Department of International Relations
of the I.I. Mechnikov Northwestern State Medical University
Pathmalal M. Manage, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Serkin Dmitry Mikhailovich – Head of the Scientific Department of the Chita State
Medical Academy
Sujeewa Amarasena, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna
Pisklakova Svetlana Antonovna, Head of the International Activities Department of
Omsk State Medical University
Mangaleswaran Thampoe, Vice Chancellor of University of Vavuniya
Stepashov Roman Vladimirovich, Head of the Department of International Activities
of the Kursk State Agrarian University named after I.I. Ivanov
Concluding the session, the chairman of the Russian-Sri Lankan university association for
medicine and allied science, KSMU rector professor V.A. Lazarenko thanked all the
participants of the meeting and outlined the association’s plans for the near future,
concerning, in particular, mentoring, elective education, organizing students’ access to
medical practice, and opening Russian language learning centers at universities in Sri-Lanka.
At the end of the session, the international guests were shown the possibilities of the new
modern medical center – KSMU University Clinic, opened in February of this year.