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Post-Pandemic Mobility for International Collaboration: Walailak University executive team joining the VI International Nevsky Forum 2022 and visiting leading universities in St. Petersburg, Russia

   

     Walailak University executive team participates in the VI International Nevsky Forum “Reforms in Russia: from Peter the Great to the Present day” upon an invitation from North-West Institute of Management NWIM of RANEPA in St. Petersburg, Russia, followed by official visits to higher education institutions in St. Petersburg listed in the QS World University Rankings (QS WUR 801-1000) to expand academic cooperation networks through MOU signings and discussions of co-conducted projects from 23 to 28 June 2022. 


    Walailak University executive team led by Prof. Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, President of Walailak University, accompanied by Acting Vice Presidents, namely Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suwit Wuthisuthimethavee and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Charan Boonkan, together with Asst. Dr. Patnarin Supakorn, Director of Center for International Affairs (CIA), joined the VI International Nevsky Forum “Reforms in Russia: from Peter the Great to the Present day” upon an invitation from North-West Institute of Management RAPEPA in St. Petersburg, Russia. With support from, Dr. David Tareladze, Vice Dean for International Cooperation, Faculty of Economics and Finance, NWIM of RANEPA, the delegation also had a meeting with executive teams and faculties of St. Petersburg’s four leading universities - St. Petersburg State University (SPbU), St. Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics (UMTE), ITMO University and St. Petersburg Electro Technical University (ETU).

 

 
   

     The program commenced with the delegation’s participation in the VI International Nevsky Forum under the theme “Reforms in Russia: from Peter the Great to the Present day” at Boris Yelstin Presidential Library, St. Petersburg from 23 to 25 June 2022. Under the key theme this year, the forum was predicated on administrative reform policy, cooperation in economy and trades in response to global financial pressures and improvement on public administration. Major speakers were Andrei Khlutkov, Director of the NWIMU RANEPA, Vladimir Shamakhov, Scientific Director of the Institute, Dmitry Butashin, Vice-Rector of the Moscow Campus, Mikhail Romanov, Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, and Vladimir Katenev, President of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry Union. The event offered opportunities for round table discussions and open lectures to thousands of participants from various sectors including administrators, Non-profit organization workers, business owners and local authorities in Russia and worldwide. 


     Following the forum, on 23 June 2022, the team led by Prof. Dr. Sombat visited St. Petersburg State University (SPbU), St. Petersburg’s oldest and largest university (QS WUR 242) before proceeding to the three other universities on 27 June 2022 to discuss future possibilities to co-arrange the development projects, particularly in the fields of Medical Sciences, and Science and Technologies which is consistent with the university’s mission to become a world class research university.

 

 

     The first university was St. Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics (UMTE), known as “the academic institution” operating under the scientific and methodological guidance of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The university also stands out as an institution providing European education with the curriculum in sync with the modern society’s needs. 


     For ITMO University (QS WUR 365 and Times Higher Education subject ranking in computer science 126-150), specializing in Computer Science and Information System, WU team received a warm welcome from Dr. Vladimir N. Vasilyev, Rector of ITMO University, along with the executive team. After that, Prof. Stafeev arranged a tour for the delegation to the Museum of Optics, featuring exhibitions on optical illusions and advanced technological solutions to lighting. Following this, cooperation between Walailak University and ITMO University for sharing of the optical technology knowledge is set as a future plan. 


    Concluding the institution visit, the WU team met with the executive team and deans of every faculty of St. Petersburg Electro Technical University (LETI) (QS WUR 751-800). The university has earned its recognized position in engineering and technologies employed in industrial settings. LETI also excels in technologies in medical science which is aligned with Walailak University’s direction for further development of Walailak University Hospital. In this regard, the Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Informatics discussed a cooperation plan for smart hospital development. 


     Walailak University entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with two universities, namely North-West Institute of Management (NWIM), Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) (QS WUR 801-1000) and Baltic State Technical University also known as Military University. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Charun Bunyakan, Acting Vice president of Walailak University, said that this overseas visit has far exceeded the objectives set earlier. Walailak University received praises as a progressive residential university from the host institutions and succeeded in enlarging its academic network through MOU signing and co-joint projects on research, knowledge sharing and other activities. 


     “This visit has been quite fruitful. The future schemes for cooperation bring lots of excitement to every party involved. We got to make Walailak University known on a global stage both for our progressive educational policies and unique beauty of the campus”, said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Charun. 

       On this occasion, Walailak University would like to thank Assoc. Prof. Dr. Piboon Puriveth for coordinating with NWIM of RANEPA. In the history of overseas institutional cooperation, cooperation between Walailak University and Russian educational institutions dated back to 2018 with the visit of scholars from Innovation and Intellectual Property Laboratory, Center for Entrepreneurship, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), Russia to discuss academic collaboration, and development of entrepreneurial innovations. The cooperation resulted in academic funding for doctoral degree students, postdoctoral fellowship, co-conducted project and curricular development in Innovation and IP Management program. As for this recent visit, promising growth in science and technologies are to be expected. 

 

 

 

 

 

News by Nootchanat Sukkaew 

Division of Corporate Communication 

 

 


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