Elderly population is growing in large numbers and is becoming a challenge to care in many countries in the world. Their health needs are different and requires well trained human resources with facilities to address the burden. Sri Lanka possess the 3^rd highest proportion of older population in Asia. Neurodegenerative diseases (NDD) in older people are a huge burden to the economic and health care system in the world. Sri Lanka is facing this already or will face it in the in near future.  Although NDDs associated with older age cannot be cured, there is an opportunity for giving them a better living standard by delaying disease progression and achieve optimum quality of life when they receive a timely diagnosis, effective treatment and high-quality care. Therefore, a specialized trained cadre to care and rehabilitate people with NDD care is indeed important. This is an integral component of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of UN.

As a leading higher education institute in Sri Lanka, the University of Ruhuna, has taken a step forward with the international collaborations in order to achieve the primary aim of the University to widen the horizons of education and support to achieve this SDG of the country. This will be implemented by generating knowledge through research, developing the capacity with the improving infrastructure and trained human resource pool while concurrently developing sustainable educational programmes to solve the current and future burdening issues. This effort of the University of Ruhuna is “nEUROcare project, an European initiative for capacity building to meet the challenges of caring for people with neurodegenerative disorders in Sri Lanka”.

UOR appreciates the project coordinator from the Kristianstad University, Sweden in collaboration with few other Universities in European Union [Triskelion (Norway), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), University of Tartu (Estonia), Neapolis University Pafos (Cyprus)] and partner Universities of Sri Lanka [University of Colombo (Sri Lanka), University of Ruhuna (Sri Lanka), University of Peradeniya and Kotelawala Defense University (Sri Lanka)] for understanding the need and relevance of this kind of a project and coming together to implement it.

The ultimate target of this nEUROcare project is to establish a postgraduate education programme (Masters of NDD) by coursework in each Sri Lankan partner Universities with the accreditation and approval from the University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka. Eventually, this will make the partner Universities in Sri Lanka responsible to implement the education and training programmes developed, to produce the trained cadre to meet the care needs of NDD patients.

Apart from this, the partner Universities in Sri Lanka would benefit with capacity development of their academics who will learn new methodologies and pedagogical approaches to education. It will further contribute to the strengthening of internationalization by fostering regional cooperation and integration across different fields and regions of the world through joint initiatives, sharing of good practices, collaboration and support to modernize the higher education systems.

Therefore, I immensely appreciate the European Union and the affiliated Erasmus programme for their enormous contribution and taking University of Ruhuna on board for this vital project.  Further, the youngest Faculty of the University of Ruhuna; Faculty of Allied Health Sciences is getting involved with the project. This is the first international collaboration of the faculty and I hope that getting involved with this project would help explore more avenues to the allied health science faculty to get engaged with more international collaborations in the future and to enhance its capacity in many ways.

I believe, the collaboration of delegates of European Union and Sri Lanka will make the project successful. Hopefully, it would provide sustainable results and particularly contribute to ensure the improved quality of care of older people in Sri Lanka. As the Vice-Chancellor of University of Ruhuna, I appreciate the invaluable effort of the project team to initiate such a vital project and I wholeheartedly wish the nEUROcare project team the very best and I look forward to witness the success of the nEUROcare project.