The UST Graduate School (GS) strengthened its ties with Srinakharinwirot University (SWU) in Bangkok, Thailand, and initially met officials from the Assumption University in its Suvarnabhumi campus on July 25 and 26, 2024.
The GS delegation, led by Dean Prof. Michael Anthony C. Vasco, Ph.D., and Regent Rev. Fr. Rodel E. Aligan, O.P., together with Assistant Dean Prof. Camilla J. Vizconde, Ph.D., Prof. Lino N. Baron, Ph.D. (Coordinator for International Relations) and Prof. Augusto Deviana, Ph.D. (Program Lead for History) met with officials of the two universities.
Warmly met by the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Assoc. Prof. Poom Moolsilpa, S.J.D., the UST delegation also discussed with the Head of the History Department, Asst. Prof. Dr. Nathaporn Thaijongrak, how the partnership between the two universities can be supported and sustained. The existing Memorandum of Agreement between the universities is in place and previously, a delegation of history faculty members visited and held lectures last March 2024. This visit further strengthened the ties between the two universities with possibilities for transnational education and transnational research for faculty and students. Besides the Department of History, other possible faculty exchange can be implemented in Education with the social studies teachers, in public administration and geography. Furthermore, a visiting lecturer, Dr. Yaninie Phaithawayat, from SWU will again be coming for the first term of AY 2024-2025 to teach Comparative Contemporary Histories of the Philippines and Thailand. This has also been implemented previously in the second term of AY 2023-2024 where a class in Seminar on Comparative Revolution in Southeast Asia with Dr. Deviana was conducted.
In addition to the discussion, the UST team toured around campus, which was originally established as a teacher-training school in 1949 until it was established as Srinakharinwirot University in 1974. As promised, Prof. Deviana also donated to the main library two copies of books, Fifty Years of Philippine Independence Stories from a Half Century and Stories from the Other Side and Other Narratives (Revised Edition), which he authored. These two books are the very first books written by a Filipino donated in the library. These books were also two of the very rare English written books in the library. In an earlier visit last March 2024, Dr. Deviana donated a book, New Ink on the Parchment: A Guide for Writing Philippine History.
The UST team headed to the Assumption University (AU) of Thailand in Bang Na on July 26, 2024, where they were warmly met by the Director for Internationalization Affairs, Mr. Glen Chatelier. Mr. Chatelier held a short meeting with officials of the University who presented their programs. The presentations included the Architecture program by Satanan Chanowanna, PhD; the Master in Business Administration (MBA) by Bhumipat Gilitwala, PhD; the Economics Program by Asst. Prof. Dr. Dhanoos Sutthiphisal, the Dean of Martin de Tours School of Management and Economics and Asst. Prof. Uree Cheasakul, PhD, the Deputy Vice President for Academic Affairs. The presentations highlighted the areas where collaborations between the two academic institutions can take place.
Dean Vasco identified the transnational programs in Architecture/Built Environment which partners with the University of Reading, United Kingdom and the MS in Chemical Engineering/ Master in Professional Engineering (Metallurgical Engineering) with the Curtin University of Australia as UST’s partner. These are existing programs with graduates who are teaching now in the Graduate School.
Dean Vasco also presented the programs offered by the UST Graduate School, highlighting the programs in Psychology and Business, which have the bigger number of students for the past years. Since the interest of many remains to be Psychology and this is the banner program of the UST Graduate School, students may also take their practicum or on-the-job training in the Assumption University, further providing them with experiences in another context. Since the medium of instruction in the Assumption University is English, faculty and students of UST will not have difficulty in engaging with teachers and students of AU.
Prof. Salvatore Moccia, the Head of Education and Skills of EIT Digital, Europe was also there to present some opportunities in career advancement for digital-related graduate programs. These programs can be connected with many universities since they offer digital programs and these programs can be accessed anywhere at any time. Opportunities for professional development and employment were also discussed.
After the meeting, the UST team was able to meet Rector Magnificus Rev. Bro. Bancha Saenghiran, f.s.g., Ph.D., the Rector of the University. The Rector recalled the times that he visited the UST campus and had enjoyed playing soccer in the field during his younger days. The strong partnership between the two universities may be attributed to the Catholic faith that both universities continue to practice as evident in the curricula and the university activities.
After meeting the Rector, the UST Team was led to the Monfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design where exhibits of student outputs were on display, providing insights on how students are provided with a curriculum that provides them with opportunities for honing their crafts. Exhibits of painting and works of art were displayed in the lobby of the building. The same practice is observed in the UST Graduate School where students hold exhibits as part of their terminal requirements. On the other side was another building for the communication arts, the Albert Laurence School of Communication Arts where impressive auditoriums, studios and broadcast equipment were housed. These two buildings are considered as two of the most prominent of the structures, displaying the fusion of art and technology.
The visit ended with the invitation of Dr. Kittikorn for the conferences that the Assumption University is hosting on November 2024 and March 2025.
The visits provided more opportunities for the UST Graduate School and the Thai partner universities to conduct more faculty/student exchanges.
