Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, in her capacity as Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, held a bilateral meeting with Yeezang De Thapa, Minister for Education and Skills Development of Bhutan, to discuss strengthening cooperation in the education sector.

On the sidelines of the inaugural Global Conscious Food Systems Summit 2026, being held in Bhutan from 31 August to 4 September 2026, the meeting was held on 03 September 2026, according to the Prime Minister’s Media Division.

The discussions focused on further strengthening and expanding Sri Lanka-Bhutan cooperation in the education sector, with particular emphasis on developing mutually beneficial initiatives through enhanced Government-to-Government engagement.

Both sides underscored the importance of deepening institutional cooperation and exploring new avenues for collaboration in education, higher education and vocational training, with a view to creating greater opportunities for students, educators and academic institutions of both countries.

During the meeting, both sides agreed to initiate discussions towards the finalization and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields of education and vocational training. It was also agreed that the implementation of the MoU could be facilitated through the establishment of a Joint Working Group, headed at the Secretary level, with meetings to be convened annually to review progress, identify new areas of cooperation, and facilitate the effective implementation of agreed activities.

The major areas of cooperation discussed included enhancing collaboration among universities and academic institutions, promoting academic and faculty exchanges, joint research and university programmes, strengthening training and capacity-building opportunities for educators and teachers, and sharing expertise and best practices in the education and vocational training sectors.

The two sides also discussed strengthening child protection and safeguarding mechanisms, promoting ethical values among students, and addressing violence against children while ensuring their safety, protection, well-being and access to quality education, the statement said.

Opportunities for Bhutanese students to pursue undergraduate studies at universities in Sri Lanka were also discussed, with particular emphasis on Dentistry, Medicine (MBBS), and allied health disciplines such as Physiotherapy. The discussions further covered opportunities for postgraduate studies in medical and health sciences at Sri Lankan universities, as well as enhanced collaboration among universities and other academic institutions of the two countries.

The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for Sri Lanka and Bhutan to advance cooperation in education and vocational training and explore new avenues for long-term collaboration for the mutual benefit of students, educators and academic institutions of both countries.