Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sarintip Tantanee, President of Naresuan University, and senior executive team members from Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Renewable Energy and Smart Grid Technology and Cosmetic and Natural Products and Research Center (COSNAT) extended their warm welcome to Ms. Nitchawan Sriviboon, Trade Commissioner from Embassy of Canada in Thailand on an official visit at Naresuan University. With a view to increase internationalization status of the university in academic, research and standardized programs, it is deemed necessary to build and strengthen partnerships with as many overseas alliances as possible. Canada, ranked 4th globally in education, is one the focuses that NU places an emphasis on international education and collaboration. Scholarship and Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) proves to be one of the channels introduced by Ms. Nitchawan that NU could take advantage of by identifying candidates for short-term study/research projects and negotiate with a Canadian partnered university to submit application of the SEED program. Presently there are two postgraduate students from Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences took part in this program at University of Alberta working on research on ‘Development of Nasal Spray Containing Andrographis Peniculata Extract’ and Director of COSNAT, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Neti Waranuch, collaborated Arbor Life Labs for ‘An Efficacy Study of Hair Growth Products on Volunteers. The embassy is also keen to assist in liaising with Canadian universities in articulation programs, capacity building and area based education where NU responded that primary and secondary educations are equally important and graduates from Faculty of Education are expected to serve as highly qualified teachers to groom young generation. It is also proposed to the embassy that assessment of patent values is very crucial and it would great benefit NU if the embassy would help approach Dr. Dann Chow, National Research Council of Canada, to give a training program for NU researchers.
For possible collaboration between Royal College Canada International (RCI) and Faculty of Medicine at NU, an online meeting in February 2024 is suggested to expedite what areas of cooperation and interest could be implemented, particularly in trainings for physicians, international accreditation, including a possible linkage with Canada Wellness Institute (CWI) to work collaboratively and synergically between academic sector and business sector. Faculty of Engineering, on the other hand, directs its emphasis on working with University of Toronto in the field of Computer Software; Waterloo University in the field of Environmental Engineering plus start-up opportunities; McGill University in the field of Electric Vehicles/EV Maintenance. Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences would like to explore in preventive heath care, clinical guidelines and clinical trials, including a semester-long clerkship program for Pham.D. students; it is also proposed to the embassy that the Faculty is keen to meet with regulators in Canada to learn more about standardization of natural and herbal products slated in April 2024, which the embassy welcomed to help liaise.
The visit concluded by a visit to Cosmetic and Natural Products and Research Center (COSNAT), Center of Excellence for Research in Cannabis and Hemp, including an observation at Medical Device Research Laboratory and Pilot Project at NU Science Park.
The visit took place on Friday, January 12, 2024 at 09.00 a.m. at Naresuan Room 102, Office of the President.
