A courtesy visit of H.E. Mr. Patrick Bourne, Ambassador of Ireland to the Kingdom of Thailand

          On 4^th March 2024, Meeting Room No.9, 2^nd floor of the Kasetsart Golden Jubilee Administration and Information Center Building, Kasetsart University Bangkhen Campus, Dr. Chongrak Wachrinrat, President of Kasetsart University, along with Associate Professor Dr. Kampanat Pensupar, Vice President for International Affairs; Associate Professor Dr. Apisit Songsasen, Dean of Faculty of Science; Assistant Professor Dr. Patamaporn Sripadungtham, Deputy Dean for International Affairs, Faculty of Engineering; Assistant Professor Dr. Jitsopin Meerakate, Assistant to the President and Lecturer of Kasetsart University International College (KUIC); Dr. Pisut Wisessing, Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science; Mrs. Achiraya Nunes Galante, Scholarships and Cooperation Supervisor, Kasetsart University International College (KUIC); and representatives of the International Affairs Division, welcomed H.E. Mr. Patrick Bourne, the Ambassador of Ireland to the Kingdom of Thailand and Ms. Anna Mulligan, Consul, Embassy of Ireland in Thailand on the occasion of his visit to Kasetsart University. The objective of this visit was to discuss potential collaboration and joint activities.

          In the past years, KU welcomed H.E. Mr. Joseph Anthony Cotter, the 2^nd Ambassador of Ireland to the Kingdom of Thailand on Thursday, July 11th, 2019, and representatives from the Embassy of Ireland, Thailand on Wednesday, February 12^th, 2020, respectively. The main agendas of the past discussions included the potential for student and personnel exchange programs, joint degree and double degree curricula between KU and universities in Ireland, etc.

          After watching the video showcasing the wide-ranging information about KU, H.E. Mr. Patrick Bourne stated that the Embassy of Ireland in Thailand, established in 2014, is relatively recent. Nevertheless, Ireland recognizes the importance of academic collaboration with other countries and the strong relationship with Thailand. Therefore, Ireland is committed to strengthening these relationships. The strong relationship between Thailand and Ireland is demonstrated by the number of KU lecturers who have successfully completed their studies in Ireland. This serves as a positive starting point for future academic collaborations.

          In addition, H.E. Mr. Patrick Bourne mentioned that the delegation from Ireland has scheduled a visit to Thailand on May 21^st, 2024, for agricultural training in Chonburi. This visit presents an excellent opportunity to initiate and enhance practical academic collaborations, such as student exchange programs and joint research projects. After the academic discussion, Dr. Chongrak Wachrinrat, President of Kasetsart University presented souvenirs to the delegations from the Embassy of Ireland, Thailand, and participated in a group photo session.