International Collaborations of the Department of Agricultural Engineering
The Department of Agricultural Engineering & Environmental Technology engages in a wide range of international collaborations covering academic exchange programmes, EU-funded research projects, collaborative universities and student exchange programmes.
Exchange Programmes
International Agriculture Program (IAP)
Coordinated under the MOU between the Graduate School of Agriculture, University of the Ryukyus, Japan and the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka (since 2010).
Objectives
- Students and staff exchange
- Sharing of knowledge, resources and experiences
- Organization of seminars and symposia
- Research collaboration
IAP is an educational training program which provides great opportunity for students to acquire advanced knowledge and skills from an international perspective. The program is mainly focused on providing deep understanding and practical experiences to the students about related issues on tropical and subtropical agriculture (forestry, food, agriculture, environment and resources issues). Annually IAP is held as two sessions as follows;
- Winter programme: Beginning of the year students and staff members of University of Ruhuna visit University of the Ryukyus to participate in winter programme.
- Summer programme: Around September, students and staff members of University of the Ryukyus visit University of Ruhuna to participate in summer programme which is coordinated by the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna.
Sakura Science Plan
Japan–Asia Youth Exchange Programme in Science
The programme coordinates under the MOU signed between Graduate School of Agriculture Science, University of Kobe, Japan and the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka.
Sakura Science Plan is a short-term undergraduates exchange programme for science and technology at a leading Japanese university in collaboration between industry academia and the government of Japan. The programme assists seven undergraduate students and the coordinator to participate ten days science and technology training in Japan every year. The programme provides the participants with overseas travel expenses, health insurance, programme expenses and the allowances for food and lodging.
International Collaborative Projects
Department Agricultural Engineering engages with EU funded projects.
Ascent Project
Capacity Building for Research and Innovation in Disaster Resilience. Funded by: Erasmus+ Program of the EU
BECK Project
Integrating education with consumer behavior relevant to energy efficiency and climate change at the universities of Russia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Funded by: Erasmus+ Program of the EU
BRITAE Project
Building Resilience in Tropical Agro-Ecosystems — BRITAE offers an internationally recognized M.Sc program acceptable to all Universities, sharing national and international experiences. Funded by: Erasmus+ Program of the EU
SECRA Project
Strengthening University-Enterprise Collaboration for Resilient Communities in Asia. Funded by: Erasmus+ Program of the EU
FOUNTAIN Project
Fostering sustainable University-industry Techno-entrepreneurial Collaborations and innovations in Asian universities. Funded by: Erasmus+ Program of the EU
International Collaborative Universities
The department has widened its capacity through several international collaborations for research and student exchange programs. The department initiated several international collaborations: signing MOU with Karlsruhe University, Germany in 2005 and conducted water purification and supply project during tsunami impact reconciliation time; signing MOU with the University of the Ryukyus, Japan in 2009 for student exchange program for tropical agriculture course with credit transfer; and signing MOU with Kobe University, Japan for Sakura science student exchange program. The department anticipates signing with the University of Bogor, Indonesia and University of Naresuan, Thailand.
- Karlsruhe University (Germany)
- Kobe University (Japan)
- Ryukyus University (Japan)
- Naresuan University (Thailand)
- Vilnius Gediminas University (Lithuania)
- University of Huddersfield (UK)
- University of Tallin (Estonia)
- University of Uclan (UK)
- Moscow State University (Russia)
- Chiang Mai University (Thailand)
- St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (Russia)
- Dhaka University (Bangladesh)
- Mid-Sweden University (Sweden)
Student Exchange Programmes
The department has annual exchange program for students with University of Kobe Japan, University of Bogor Indonesia and University of Naresuan Thailand. Initiating an international collaboration, two students were sent to Naresuan University, Thailand in 2018 to undertake their three months industrial training. The exchange program between the Universities of the Ryukyus is under research collaboration including four credit course offered by the department for MSc postgraduates of the Ryukyus for the course module of Tropical agriculture.
- University of the Ryukyus (Japan) — International Agriculture Program
- Kobe University (Japan) — Sakura Science Exchange Program
- University of Naresuan (Thailand) — Industrial Training
- University of Bogor (Indonesia) — International Tropical Agriculture and Green Technology Program