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The Quarterly Newsletter of South Asian University | Volume 1 December Edition, 2016

INTERACTIONS

Royal University of Bhutan Delegation Visits SAU

An eight-member delegation from the Royal University of Bhutan visited SAU on 31st October 2016 and
discussed possibilities of long-term collaboration between the Royal University of Bhutan and South
Asian University.
The RUB delegation was lead by Dr. Phanchung, Director General, Department of Research and External
Relations, Office of the Vice Chancellor, Royal University of Bhutan and comprised Ms. Tshering Choden,
International Relations Officer, Department of Research and External Relations, Royal University of
Bhutan; Mr. Tshering Wangdi, President, Sherubtse College; Mr. Ugyen Lhendup, Department of
Economics, Sherubtse College; Mr. Leki Sangay, Department of Sociology, Sherubtse College; Mr Thinley
Namgyal, Department of Mathematics, Sherubtse College; and Mr Karma Drukpa, Faculty of Taxation
and Law, Gaeddu College of Business. Incidentally, one of the delegates Mr. Ugyen Lhendup, is an
alumnus of SAU.
The SAU delegation consisted of the President, SAU, Dr. Kavita Sharma, Vice Presidents, Professors
Sasanka Perera and Santosh Panda and Dean, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Prof.
Ranjan Mohanty.
At the request of the visiting delegation, the meeting specially focused on long-term collaboration
between Departments of Sociology, Economics and Mathematics at SAU and teaching programs
affiliated with the Royal University of Bhutan. The main interest was to explore possibilities of further
training for the Bhutanese faculty at SAU as well as conducting specifically designed short-term courses
by SAU faculty in Bhutan for young faculty members in colleges affiliated to the Royal University of
Bhutan. The meeting also focused on other academic matters such as co-organizing conferences and
workshops on themes of mutual interest.
The Bhutanese delegation agreed to host a two-day international conference on ‘Buddhist Cultural
Pluralism in South Asia: Explorations in Popular-Contemporary Buddhist Imageries’ proposed by the
Department of Sociology, SAU and to be co-organized in Thimphu by the Royal University of Bhutan,
Sherubtse College, Bhutan and the Department of Sociology, SAU on 17-18 March 2017.

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