Emory University and Drepung Loseling Celebrate 25 Year Milestone of Original Emory-Tibet Partnership

Inspired by works of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the collaboration has evolved into a global center of education and research

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On November 6, 2023, Emory University president Gregory Fenves, along with leaders from the Drepung Loseling Monastery, the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, and the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, will celebrate the 25^th anniversary and renewal of the partnership between Emory and Drepung Loseling.

The ceremony takes place at Emory University at 11am ET. Registration for the live stream is available at https://tinyurl.com/bddu2dw5.

Twenty-five years ago, Emory’s Presidential Distinguished Professor, the Dalai Lama, was present at the signing of a ground-breaking collaboration between Emory and Drepung Loseling called the Emory-Tibet Partnership. The agreement was the first of its kind between a western institution and a preeminent Tibetan monastic university.

Designed to advance the Dalai Lama’s vision for the education of heart and mind, and the University’s mission to create, preserve, teach and apply knowledge in the service of humanity, the original partnership has evolved into a global center of education and research called The Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics (The Compassion Center). The Compassion Center works alongside scientists, educators, contemplatives, and philanthropists to pioneer programs at the intersection of science and spirituality.

"It has been an honor that His Holiness the Dalai Lama entrusted us with several of his most cherished visions: developing a comprehensive and sustainable science education program for Tibetan monastics, a program for the education of both heart and mind in pre-school through university, and promoting the cultivation of compassion through all sectors of society,” said Lobsang Tenzin Negi, executive director of The Compassion Center. “Relying on personal experience, common sense, and scientific evidence, this holistic approach focuses on fundamental human values and is not dependent upon the beliefs of any particular value system."

The Center’s core programs include:

• ETSI (the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative), a modern science education program for Tibetan monastics.
• CBCT^® (Cognitively Based Compassion Training) for professionals working in healthcare, education, social services, and business.
• SEE Learning^® (Social, Emotional and Ethical), designed for grades K-12 and higher education.

The renewal ceremony coincides with the university’s observance of Tibet Week November 6-11, 2023, on Emory’s campus. This celebration features events exploring Tibetan culture, the Compassion Center’s programming, and a virtual keynote (11am ET on November 8^th) titled “Compassion Revolution: Understanding and Responding to the Dalai Lama’s Vision for the Future” featuring Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, and Susan Bauer-Wu, president of the Mind & Life Institute. Registration is open to the public: https://tinyurl.com/5fanp4xy.