On 9 July 2024, Mae Fah Luang University executives led by Assoc. Prof. Dr.Darunee Wattanasiriwech, Vice President, welcomed a delegation of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) headed by Lieutenant Sorawud Preededilok, Minister attached to TICA. The visit aimed to discuss academic cooperation, meet scholarship students, and connect with volunteers.
TICA representatives provided information about submitting proposals for human resource development programmes (2026 – 2028), including the Thailand International Postgraduate Programme (TIPP) and the Annual International Training Course (AITC). Priority topics for proposals include: Agriculture and Food Security, Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG Model), Climate Change and Environmental Issues, Public Health, Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP), Herb Security, Job Security, Energy Security, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In addition, discussions covered the Public-Private Partnership for the People (PPPP) initiative, involving TICA, MFU, and the private sector. For example, private sector might contribute monthly allowances, MFU could waive tuition fees, and TICA could support travel expenses. This cost-sharing collaboration is open to all fields of study.
TICA also presented a collaborative project involving universities in Thailand and African countries (Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa). This project will utilize education exhibitions as a platform for universities to explore future collaborations in areas like tourism, agriculture, cosmetic science and herbs, coffee processing, public health, and SDGs. Furthermore, TICA and MFU discussed future research cooperation and scholarship opportunities for international students to study at MFU.
Since 2008, MFU and TICA has partnered to provide scholarships to 70 international students. As of the academic year 2023, 13 TIPP scholarship recipients are currently pursuing degrees in Master of Public Health Programme in Border Health Management, Master of Science Programme in Postharvest Technology and Innovation, Master of Arts Programme in International Development and Master of Science Programme in Innovation Food Science and Technology at MFU. These students come from Antigua and Barbuda, Botswana, East Timor, Egypt, Ethiopia Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, and Togo.
