Dalai Lama gives $50,000 to education program

Associated Press

12:19 p.m. Monday, September 28, 2009

The Dalai Lama has announced a gift of $50,000 to the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative, a project to develop a science education curriculum for Tibetan monastics.

Under a five-year pilot program, Emory faculty members travel to Dharamsala, India, each summer to teach a 10-week western science curriculum to more than 100 monks and nuns.

The Emory scholars have worked with Tibetan Buddhist scholars to produce science textbooks printed in English and Tibetan.

The Dalai Lama makes periodic visits to Emory to participate in programs, most recently in 2007 when he delivered his inaugural lecture as the university's Presidential Distinguished Professor. He is due to return to Emory next year.

Emory has established a fellowship in the Dalai Lama's name to fund annual scholarships for Tibetan students at the university.