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Today, Walailak University, led by President Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong and Vice President Associate Professor Dr. Suwit Wuthisuthimethavee, received the 2023 outstanding award for excellence in internationally high-caliber research from the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (MHESI). The prestigious event took place at the Eternity Ballroom, Pullman Bangkok King Power Hotel.

The university received accolades from Ms. Supamas Isarabhakdi, Minister of MHESI, who presented the award, acknowledging Walailak University as one of the three Thai universities honored for outstanding research on this occasion.

The recognition was a result of MHESI's 2023 Thai university research evaluation initiative, aimed at fostering globally high-caliber research production and cultivating a robust and sustainable research ecosystem within leading members of the Global and Frontier Research University group.

The initiative focused on three key areas: 1) empowerment of national research capacity, 2) highly competitive world-class research, and 3) cultivation and enrichment of the research ecosystem.

Presenting Walailak University's accomplishments on December 27, 2023, Associate Professor Dr. Udomsak Saengow, Director of WU Research and Innovation Institute of Excellence, highlighted the university's achievements in four key areas: the rapid 5-year growth of high-impact research publications in tier 1 of Q1 Scopus-indexed journals, a surge in citation volume, an increase in external research funding, and a rise in the number of qualified personnel engaged in recognized global entities.

Under President Sombat Thamrongthanyawong's leadership, Walailak University has demonstrated remarkable progress in research from 2018 to 2022. Scopus-indexed journal publications, particularly in quartiles 1 and 2, have quadrupled to 738 papers, showing an annual growth of 45%. Tier 1 publications have seen an average annual increase of 56%. Total citations and research grant funding have both risen by 22% and 5% annually, respectively.

In 2023, five Walailak researchers gained recognition in Stanford University's World's Top 2 Percent Scientists List, placing among 200,000 highly cited scientists globally. The university also improved its standing in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, moving from the 1501+ category to the band of 1201-1500 for the second consecutive year. In the category of Young University (50 years or younger), it achieved a joint third-place in Thailand or 501+ globally, marking a significant milestone as a first-time accomplishment.