Nalanda University has signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with institutions in Mongolia to strengthen academic and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

The first agreement was signed on June 8 with Gandantegchinlen Monastery (Gandan Monastery) in Ulaanbaatar. The MoU was formalised by Prof Sachin Chaturvedi, Vice Chancellor, Nalanda University, and HE Geshe Lharampa Javzandorj Dulamragchaa, Khamba Nomun Khan, Supreme Abbot and Head of Gandan Monastery.

The ceremony was attended by Vinai Kumar Saxena, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Atul Malhari Gotsurve, Ambassador of India to Mongolia, B Tserennadmid, Governor of Arkhangai Province, along with officials from the Government of India and members of the monastic community.

The agreement focuses on promoting academic exchanges through joint research, publications, conferences and collaborative activities centred on Buddhist studies. It also provides for the study and preservation of rare Buddhist manuscripts and texts.

On June 9, Nalanda University signed a second MoU with the National University of Mongolia (NUM) in Ulaanbaatar. The agreement was signed by Prof. Sachin Chaturvedi and Prof. Baatarchuluun Tsermaa, Vice President for Research and Cooperation, National University of Mongolia, in the presence of representatives from both institutions.

The partnership will facilitate cooperation in disciplines including Dharma Studies, Buddhist Philosophy, Culture and Art, History, Ecology, Sanskrit and Tibetan Languages, Trade, and Economic History. It also envisages faculty and student exchanges, joint research projects, academic programmes and other knowledge-sharing initiatives.

Commenting on the collaborations, Prof Sachin Chaturvedi, Vice Chancellor, Nalanda University, said, "These partnerships fundamentally enrich the academic journey for students and researchers alike. By building bridges of knowledge between India and Mongolia, these MoUs open up exciting new avenues for global learning and collaborative research. Ultimately, they carry forward the spirit of the ancient university- empowering today’s students to become global citizens who contribute to world peace and sustainable development."