News

On 28 August 2025, Walailak University (WU), led by President Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong and Assistant to the President Assistant Professor Dr. Patnarin Supakorn, visited Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta (UPNVJ), Indonesia, to renew their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The two universities first signed an MoU in 2021, which has since expired. The renewed agreement was signed by President Sombat Thamrongthanyawong and UPNVJ Rector Professor Dr. Anter Venus, MA, Comm.

UPNVJ has long collaborated with WU through student and staff mobility programs, particularly with the School of Accountancy and Finance, WU International College, and the School of Law. Currently, Assistant Professor Dr. Trairong Swatdikun from the School of Accountancy and Finance is visiting UPNVJ to co-publish research and co-teach graduate courses, while Associate Professor Dr. Chuchard Punsawad, Dean of the School of Medicine, is in discussions with UPNVJ to further develop collaboration.

Rector Anter Venus also expressed his intention to visit WU, accompanied by the deans of all UPNVJ’s seven faculties, in the second week of November 2025.

During the meeting, Professor Dr. Sombat proposed that both universities advance internationalization in three key areas: collaboration, diversity, and visibility. Initiatives include encouraging academic staff from both institutions to co-publish Q1 Scopus-indexed papers, strengthening cooperation through matching funds, pursuing joint international community service projects, collaborating on international competitions, expanding short-term student exchanges into semester-long programs, developing collaboration on international internship placements, and facilitating the exchange of research outputs between corresponding faculties to support bilateral citation.



Photos credit: Center for International Affairs, Walailak University