International Recognition: Professor Athula Sumathipala Invited to China's Premier Health and Research Conferences

Jun 27, 2026 at 09:30 AM

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Lanka Leader

Professor Athula Sumathipala has been invited to participate in the 6th Silk Road Cooperation Global Health International Congress and to deliver keynote lectures at several leading academic conferences and universities in China, according to the Institute for Research and Development (IRD) in Health and Social Care.

The IRD stated that its Director, Professor Athula Sumathipala, has left Sri Lanka to undertake an academic visit to China from June 26 to July 1, following invitations to deliver a series of keynote addresses at prestigious universities and international conferences.

According to the Institute, the invitation is a recognition of Professor Sumathipala's internationally acclaimed contributions to public health, twin research methodology, and evidence-based healthcare.

His principal academic engagements in China are as follows:

1. 6th Silk Road Cooperation Global Health International Congress

Date: June 28, 2026

Representing: Director, Institute for Research and Development (IRD), Sri Lanka

Keynote Address:

"Planetary Health: Evidence-Based Practice for a Sustainable Future. Whose Evidence? Bridging the Evidence Gap, Global Divide, and Equity."

Focus:

Addressing inequalities in research evidence and promoting equitable global health policies.

2. Shengjing Maternal and Fetal Medicine Conference

Dates: June 26–27, 2026

Representing: President, International Society for Twin Studies (ISTS)

Keynote Address:

"Advances in Twin Research Methodology & Introduction to the International Society for Twin Studies."

Focus:

Presenting the latest advances in twin research methodology and its contributions to genetics, environmental health, and disease prevention.

3. Peking University School of Public Health

Date: July 1, 2026

Representing: President, International Society for Twin Studies (ISTS)

Special Lecture:

"Advances in Twin Research Methodology & Introduction to the International Society for Twin Studies."

Focus:

Contemporary research methodologies and the promotion of international academic collaboration.

According to the Institute for Research and Development, Professor Sumathipala's academic engagements in China are expected to further strengthen research collaboration between Sri Lanka and China. They are also expected to contribute to enhancing international cooperation in global health, advancing evidence-based healthcare, and promoting capacity development in the health sector.