The Vice Chancellor of National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) Lieutenant General Datuk Mardzuki Bin Muhammad PJN PSAT DSDK PAT JSM PKK KAT AMK PJM kndu mpat psc MSc Soc Def and Strat Studies (UKM) BSc Civil Engineering (University of Hartford) and the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Ts. Dr. Azizi Miskon visits the KDU on 06^th September 2023 along with participation of 16^th International Research Conference 2023.

They held a formal bilateral with the Vice Chancellor of KDU Rear Admiral HGU Dammika Kumara VSV USP psc MMaritimePol BSc (DS). The bilateral marked a historic moment as it signified the first international bilateral session to be chaired by the new Vice Chancellor of KDU.

 Former Vice Chancellor Maj Gen Milinda Peiris RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc MPhil, Brig Chinthaka Wickramasinghe Deputy Vice Chancellor (Defence and Admin), Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Dean Research and Development, Director International Relations Dr Harinda Vidanage represented KDU representation.

Vice Chancellor Rear Admiral HGU Dhammika Kumara reflected on the significance of the bi lateral where he observed that the meeting was held in the backdrop of the first-year anniversary since signing of the MoU between KDU and NDUM.The Vice Chancellor of KDU express his gratitude to the UPNM for selecting the KDU as Co-Host of 25^th Asian Research Forum (ARF) Heads of Defence Universities/Colleges/ Institutions Meeting (ARF-HDUCIM) 2023. Both sides explored further collaboration across a range of themes and bringing together various faculties to initiate dialogues on potential research projects and joint conferences.

At the end of the bilateral, the UPNM delegation was taken on as campus tour and hosted for lunch by the Vice Chancellor at the ‘Walawwa,’ the late Prime Minister General Sir John Kotelawala’s mansion preserved as a museum.