​​On Monday, 23 June, a high level team of the President of Bar Association of Sri Lanka; the Chairman of Legal Aid Commission; the Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Justice; the Executive Director of Lawyers for Human Rights and Development; the Head of Rule of Law and Emerging Markets (LexisNexis Asia Pacific) and USAID representatives visited the University of Johannesburg (UJ), as part of Sri Lanka’s expanded focus to foster relationships with higher education institutions in South Africa.​​

Making a call for closer ties between the countries, the 7-man strong Sri Lankan delegation’s visit to UJ’s Faculty of Law were centred on the legal education in South Africa. Part of their visit to South Africa include attendance at the Access to Legal Aid and in Criminal Justice Systems conference in Pretoria as well as visit to the Law Society of South Africa and the Constitutional court.

Says Daleen Millard, a Professor in Private Law, Faculty of Law, UJ: “The discussions around our county’s legal system gave the Sri Lankan delegates a better understanding of legal education in South Africa. They were also introduced to the various activities of UJ’s Law Clinics and the Extra-curricular Centre. Interesting conversations took place on topics such as Paralegal studies, funding, accreditation and different law governing bodies in the two countries.”