KU welcomes an administrator from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia

          On 11 March 2024, in Meeting Room 9 on the 2^nd floor of the Kasetsart Golden Jubilee Administration and Information Center Building, Kasetsart University Bangkhen Campus, Associate Professor Dr. Sutkhet Nakasathien, Vice President for Research and Creation, along with administrators and faculty members, including Assistant Professor Dr. Pathamaporn Sripadungtham, Vice Dean for International Affairs at the Faculty of Engineering; Assistant Professor Dr. Wanrat Abdullakasim, Deputy Dean for International Affairs at the Faculty of Engineering, Kamphaeng Saen Campus; Assistant Professor Dr. Korakit Choomgrant, Deputy Dean for International Affairs and Educational Development at the Faculty of Social Sciences; Assistant Professor Dr. Sombat Khawprateep, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture at the Faculty of Agriculture, Kamphaeng Saen Campus; Assistant Professor Dr. Wandee Kasemsukpipat, Assistant Dean for International Affairs at the Faculty of Education; Ms. Pathamaphon Ounruen, Foreign Relations Officer at the Faculty of Engineering, Kamphaeng Saen Campus; and personnel from the International Affairs Division welcomed and discussed academic collaboration with an administrator from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, namely Professor Ren Yi, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International). This meeting marked the official visit to Kasetsart University.

          Associate Professor Dr. Sutkhet Nakasathien, Vice President for Research and Creation, welcomed Professor Ren Yi and mentioned that today’s meeting was a great opportunity to reconnect after their last meeting in 2022. The purpose was to promote and support academic cooperation, including research activities and student exchange programs such as Joint Degree Programs, Double Degree Programs, Short Courses, and Training Programs, which both universities are interested in collaborating on continuously in the future. Professor Ren Yi, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), expressed gratitude and delight at the opportunity to discuss expanding the academic cooperation framework between the two institutions. He shared information about important projects supported by the Australian Government at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, including The Trailblazer Universities Program (Department of Education, Australian Government), DE-RISK South East Asia, and the iLAuNCH Project (Innovative Launch, Automation, Novel Materials, Communications, and Hypersonics Hub Program).

          Both sides discussed the possibility of carrying out academic activities together. Administrators from various faculties, such as the Faculty of Engineering at Bangkhen Campus, the Faculty of Engineering at Kamphaeng Saen Campus, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen Campus, and the Faculty of Education, introduced themselves and provided information on academic cooperation and activities with Kasetsart University's partner universities. They discussed various courses offered to KU students and international courses available for international students.

          The meeting exchanged information and expressed readiness to seek opportunities for cooperation between departments and faculties with the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, particularly in Agricultural and Engineering projects, Sociology and Anthropology projects under the New Colombo Plan scholarship for human resource development. They also discussed the exchange of principals, teachers, and students of Kasetsart University Laboratory School with schools in Australia, as recommended by the University of Southern Queensland. Additionally, they explored creating joint academic cooperation in other fields such as Sports Science, Medicine, Physical Education, and Psychology. Professor Ren Yi, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) from the University of Southern Queensland, also announced scholarship opportunities for undergraduate students at Kasetsart University through the Australia for ASEAN Scholarship program, sponsored by the Australian government. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the meeting and expressed eagerness to develop further academic cooperation soon.