On January 24, 2019 Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka and Madame Sanja Jayatilleka visited the prominent Moscow State Institute of International Relations, University of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MGIMO). Ambassador Jayatilleka and Madame Jayatilleka were received by the Rector of MGIMO Anatoly Torkunov, the Vice-Rector Andrey Baykov and a Head of Oriental Studies Department, Professor of History Dmitriy Streltsov.

MGIMO is renowned as the leading Russian university for international political, legal and economic studies, with its history starting from 1944. It was founded by Stalin for the purpose of enhancing the education and training of the Soviet diplomatic corps for the new, post-War II global environment.
Since 1992 the University is led by Professor Anatoly Torkunov, who is also a MGIMO graduate and holds two doctoral degrees in History and Political Science. Among MGIMO graduates are Presidents, Foreign Ministers, Prime ministers, a director-General of UNESCO, Ambassadors of Russia and foreign countries.
Ambassador Jayatilleka and Rector Torkunov discussed the opportunities for collaboration and a framework for academic cooperation and interaction.