University of Colombo Students Participate in the AUA–SNU Youth Forum in Seoul, South Korea

Seoul National University (SNU), in collaboration with the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA), hosted the AUA–SNU Youth Forum 2025: Sustainable Cities and Living Heritage from 19 to 25 January 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. The forum focused on sustainable urban development, covering topics such as affordable housing, living heritage, sustainable transport systems, and urban design.

This year, three students from the University received the opportunity to attend the forum. They were Ms Amashi Sandamini Meetiyagoda from the Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Science, Ms Malki Rangika Rathnasekara, and Ms Poornima Nethmini Dissanayaka from the Department of Demography, Faculty of Arts. Forty-two students from 11 AUA member universities participated in the forum this year, fostering academic discussion and cultural exchange. The programme also included educational site visits to the National Museum of Korea, Bukchon Hanok Village and Seoul Metropolitan Government, offering practical exposure to Korea’s urban planning and heritage management. At the concluding group presentation sessions, the team, including Amashi Meetiyagod, won First Place, while the team, including Malki Rathnasekar, secured Third Place, reflecting the high level of engagement and strong collaborative performance of the University of Colombo students.