The Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), Japan announced the signing of agreements with 2 leading schools in Sri Lanka to offer scholarships to their students to study at Asia Pacific University. At a press conference announcing the signing of the Agreements between APU and the respective schools were Professor Monte Cassim, Vice Chancellor, Ritsumeikan Trust - the managing Trust of Asia Pacific University, Mr. Upali Gunesekera, Principal Royal College, Mr. Mohan Lal Grero, Hon M.P for Colombo District and the Managing Director Lyceum International Schools Sri Lanka, and Mrs. Kumari Grero Director and Coordinating Principal Lyceum International Schools Sri Lanka, and the Principal Lyceum International School Nugegoda, Mrs. Lakmini Attygalle, Deputy Principal of Royal College together with Ms. Ikue Matsumoto, Admissions Officer for Sri Lanka at APU and Mr. Harin Gunawardena, APU Representative in Sri Lanka.

APU will team up with two more leading schools in Sri Lanka, namely Royal College and Lyceum International in addition to the already existing Ladies College and Wicherley International, to offer talented students an opportunity to receive an overseas education. These schools are reputed ensuring their students receive the highest standard of education - both at school and thereafter. These schools have also the distinction of producing leaders in Sri Lanka while APU through its academic programme is committed to providing the necessary skills to create leaders in the Asian Region.

Professor Cassim explained the unique nature of APU's education system and its commitment to creating world leaders. He said "APU was established as a Joint Project between Prefectural Government of Japan and Ritsumeikan Trust". He further explained APU was established in the year 2000 with a vision of creating leaders in the Asian region - which was fast becoming the centre of economic growth".

Although the university is situated in Japan, in keeping with its vision APU ensures 50% of its student body as well as the academic staff are non-Japanese. Today there are students from around 90 countries studying at APU in a true international environment.

There are over 35 Sri Lankan students currently studying at APU. The relevant and focused academic activities have exposed them to an international standard education within an Asian setting that appreciates the values and heritage of the region's many cultures. Japan, as an Asian country, provides a suitable environment for Sri Lankan students to study and to work.

Over 100 Sri Lankan students have already graduated from APU. These students at APU were exposed to a multicultural environment and have easily integrated into work ethics in Japan. Many of them are working for companies like Fujitsu, Toshiba, Hitachi, Toyota, Nissan, to name a few. In fact APU has had on an average an employment rate of over 98% an outstanding record for any University.

Professor Cassim confirmed that under this MoU with these two leading secondary education institutions, APU will provide as part of its commitment, 100% scholarships on tuition to two outstanding students from each of the selected schools for the academic year commencing in 2011. Each scholarship is valued at over SLR 6.0 m.

Professor Cassim, Vice Chancellor of Ritsumeikan Trust said, "We are indeed pleased to extend our support to Royal College, which also is my alma mater and Lyceum International - two of the leading secondary education institutes in Sri Lanka. I am confident that we will not stop with these institutions - and hope to extend this programme to offer other talented students in other leading secondary institutions around the country similar opportunities. With this initiative we hope the students who graduate from APU will contribute to the success so Sri Lanka in the long term."

Mr. Harin Gunawardena, Local Representative for APU in Sri Lanka, while introducing Professor Cassim highlighted his distinguished career in both the academic and professional fields. Prof. Cassim born in Sri Lanka in 1947, graduated from the University of Sri Lanka in 1970, and after working at the State Engineering Corporation of Sri Lanka, came to Japan in 1972 to pursue his Master's and Doctoral studies at the University of Tokyo.

He entered the United Nations Centre for Regional Development in 1985 where he was UN expert and chief researcher before leaving in 1994 to take up the position of professor at Ritsumeikan University. In 2004 he was appointed President of APU and Vice-Chancellor of the Ritsumeikan Trust. In addition to his interests in environmental science, he has also been active in research as an honorary visiting professor at the GKT (Guy's, King's and St Thomas') School of Medicine at King's College in London from 2003. He is currently a board of member of the Nara Institute of Science and Technology Administrative Council and also member of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport's Japan Tourism Agency Advisory Board.

Explaining about Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University he mentioned that it is one of Asia's most cosmopolitan universities - and offers degree programmes in the areas of social science and management, with specializations possible in areas such as media, tourism, marketing, and international business. In addition to undergraduate programmes, APU offers an MBA and several Master's and PhD degrees. Tailor-made short term programmes are also available to meet the specific needs of corporations and government. The campus is located in a spectacular position overlooking the city of Beppu in Oita prefecture, Kyushu, and the surrounding natural environment makes it the ideal location for intensive study retreats.

In recent years, APU has received 'Good Practice' awards from the Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT) for its innovative initiatives in bilingual education and student mobility. The APU's award winning career support programme 'Global Human Resources Development project', takes a three pronged approach. It promotes global human resources development by designing career oriented education systems that integrate language ability, intercultural communication and specialized knowledge, while supporting career support through integrated individual counselling on study, student life and career development. Thirdly, the programme takes measures to show students how the specialized knowledge they have obtained is put to use in the real world via internships and cooperative lectures. The project has received a Good Practice award from the Japanese Ministry of Education. This has resulted in the over 90% employment rates enjoyed by students at APU.