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Walailak University Organizes a Webinar on How to Promote International Mobility and Research Collaboration.

Walailak University’s Center for International foreign affairs, the School of Allied Health Science, and the Research and Innovation Institute of Excellence organize a webinar on how to promote international mobility and research collaboration. 

Two keynote speakers: Associate Professor Dr. Jitbanjong Tangpong, Acting Dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences; and Associate Professor Dr. Thanongsak Imjai, Acting Director of the Research and Innovation Institute of Excellence, gave a talk on the topics of how to increase your school/college international mobility and how to win international co-authors for quality publications, respectively.

Dean Jitbanjong shared with all participants that it started with everyone’s cooperation and a good plan.

Right now, the School of Allied Health Sciences has partnerships in more than 17 countries: USA, Brazil, Japan, France, Cyprus, Australia, Lithuania, Denmark, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, and Cambodia.

To build successful partnerships, the School of Allied Health Sciences has worked on the existing networks from their lecturers, alumni associations, and researchers who worked together before. Then, they set out a clear plan, specifying every detail needed for achieving their goal. 

“Building partnerships might not be difficult, but maintaining them needs a lot of work. Tangible activities and visits or excursions to each other are very important,” said Assoc. Prof. Jitbanjong.

In the past year, the school of Allied Health Sciences had taken its students to many universities, in USA and Japan. They went to the University of Florida, the University of Kentucky, and the University of North Dakota, USA, to learn about advanced medical technology and skills needed for research, to further develop their teaching and learning. They also went to the School of Allied Health Sciences at Kitkasato University, Tokyo; and Showa University, Yokohama, Japan, two well-known universities producing graduates in health sciences.

Associate Professor Dr. Thanongsak, a top WU researcher, and Director of the Research and Innovation Institute of Excellence said it took him 3 years, from the beginning of work, until he had international research networks. 
“To be able to do multiple things at the same time: teaching, academic service, and research, you need motivation,” he said. “First, you have to take yourself to a research community, surrounding yourself with people who do and think the same as you. And you need these useful tools: research databases”. 

To choose international co-authors, “researchers have to show themselves to the world, and let others know about their works, in international conferences, seminars, etc.,” said Associate Professor Dr. Thanongsak. 
For him, the Give Before Take principle works marvelously in finding international co-authors. “You got to show your hospitality and sincerity,” he added.

Now, Associate Professor Dr. Thanongsak has been a reviewer of more than 30 international journals, a visiting professor, and a guest lecturer for universities in the UK, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

He suggested researchers should have two to three manuscripts prepared in advance, and having international researchers work together on a project will broaden the use of work. 

The webinar, conducted on 20 December 2022, 3.00 – 4.30 PM, received a lot of attention from WU lecturers who are working on their projects, aiming to increase mobility and make their work recognized at an international level.

Photos by Center for International foreign affairs


 

 


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