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Walailak Research Convention 2023 was held yesterday at Pattarathammaporn Chamber, Walailak University Hospital. Distinguished guests, professors, researchers, and participants from over 19 countries attended the event, which was organized under the theme of "Higher Education in the Disruptive Era."

Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, President of Walailak University, welcomed all guests and highlighted that Walailak University has multi-dimensional transformations and turned itself into a source of knowledge. Last year, on 12 October 2022, Walailak University was ranked by Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023 at 1501+ and awarded the high score of 4.96 out of 5 for its 2021 academic performance by the quality assurance committee appointed by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation.

“Walailak University has been traveling a very long challenging journey to come this far, and we will never stop to reinvent Walailak University to be one of the brightest stars among global and frontier research universities with good governance, with a cutting-edge body of knowledge for critical problems facing the nation and the world,” said Prof. Dr. Sombat.

Dr. Kitipong Promwong, President of the National Higher Education, Science Research and Innovation Policy Council, delivered the opening speech and recognized Walailak University's success. He said: “Walailak University is an emerging university with high potential both in terms of development of high-quality human resources and excellence in research and innovation and cultivation of innovative enterprises.”  

He also added that the changes made at Walailak University align with Thailand's future development direction, including moving towards a high-income country, achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions, moving people at the base of the pyramid to the middle class, and building human capital with high competency and future skills.

Professor Maree Dinan-Thonpson, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Education from James Cook University, delivered the keynote speech on the topic “The Roles of University Educators in the Disruptive Era”. During this era, which is a time when technology and innovation are impacting changes in our societies and various industries, learners can access knowledge from anywhere at any time. More learners express their interest in personalized learning and would like to learn at their own pace. The advancement of technology provides new methods for supporting education, such as innovative tools, resources, and platforms. It is important that educators need to adopt innovative practices to stay relevant, experiment with new teaching methods, and give importance to teaching the skills that will help learners succeed in their careers such as digital literacy, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Motivating learners to cultivate a growth mindset and participate in lifelong learning is crucial.

The panel discussion was held on the topic "Higher Education in the Disruptive Era," featuring distinguished experts: Prof. Yuen, Peter Pok-man from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Prof. Lance Chun Che Fung from Murdoch University, Australia; and Prof. Dr. Wu-Yuin Hwang from National Central University, Taiwan. Additionally, a ceremony celebrating the Golden Chulabhorn (Jor Por) Award recipients, researchers who have made significant contributions to Walailak University, took place. The recipients were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Worawan Panpipat and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Manat Chaijan from the School of Agricultural Technology and Food Industry, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Manas Kotepui from the School of Allied Health Sciences. The Walailak Research Convention 2023 also featured international seminars and conferences organized by 12 WU centers of excellence and research centers.








 

Photos by Woraprat Chanpan
News by Settaboot Onphakdee
Division of Corporate Communication