Award Presentation: Recognizing Outstanding Achievement in Buddhist Studies

It gives us great pleasure to commemorate the 16-year milestone of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the 60th Dhammachai Education Foundation, the Dhammachai International Research Institute (DIRI) of New Zealand and Australia, and the Religion Programme at the University of Otago. This MoU has been instrumental in providing support for Buddhist Studies at Otago.

On Friday, May 19, 2023, an award presentation was organized by Phrapalad Thong Katadīpo, representing Dr. Phramaha Sudham Suratano (Pāli Studies level 9), the chairman of DIRI, and Professor Dr. Will Sweetman, the Head of the School of Social Sciences, along with other academic staff from the Religion Programme. This event aimed to recognize the outstanding achievements of students who have excelled in Buddhist Studies papers, including Introduction to Buddhism and Hinduism, Zen Buddhism, Mahayāna Buddhism, and Buddhism, State, and Society.

This noteworthy occasion signifies the progress made in the study of Buddhism in overseas countries, with a particular emphasis on New Zealand. Each year, numerous students enroll in various Buddhist Studies papers, with an average of 70 students enrolling in the Introduction to Buddhism and Hinduism paper alone.

The 60th Dhammachai Education Foundation and the Dhammachai International Research Institute (DIRI) would like to express heartfelt gratitude to all our generous donors. Their invaluable support has made it possible for us to offer such valuable scholarships to the public in New Zealand. Without their sponsorship, our contributions to Buddhist Studies would not have been possible.