On 25 September 2025, Mae Fah Luang University (MFU) celebrated its 27th anniversary, reaffirming its crucial role as a “driving force of change” under the theme “Driving Force for Well-being and Sustainable Future.” The event highlighted MFU’s mission to advance Thai society and the region towards improved well-being and a sustainable future. The ceremony was attended by Prof. Dr. Vanchai Sirichana, Chairman of the University Council; Asst. Prof. Dr. Matchima Naradisorn, President of MFU; members of the University Council, executives, staff, and students.
A key activity was a public report presented by Asst. Prof. Dr. Matchima Naradisorn, which outlined the University’s four guiding principles: (1) Upholding the royal aspiration of “Restore forest and cultivate people,” (2) Maintaining MFU’s core strengths: using English as a primary language of instruction, promoting Chinese language education, and supporting internationalization environment, (3) Adapting to change through the concept of New, Different, Better, and (4) Creating Opportunity for All.
The report showcased MFU’s 27 years of development in various areas such as student enrollment, personnel, and research achievements. It also emphasised the University’s role as a leading university in ASEAN with a mission to contribute to well-being and a sustainable future through global citizenship education, impactful research, a regional medical hub, and efficient resource management, especially becoming a Net Zero Campus by 2031.
Looking to the future, MFU is committed to utilising its unique location as a regional connection to become an education hub in cultivating people, generating knowledge, conducting research, and providing academic services. Another goal is to become a medical hub for healthcare services in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
The President reaffirmed the university’s role as a “driving force of change,” which began with transforming a degraded forest into the university in the park, and continues by changing people to have jobs and income, changing communities to have a better quality of life. The university is also determined to continue being a Driving Force for Well-being and Sustainable Future.
The anniversary celebration began with a morning alms-offering ceremony for Buddhist monks, followed by a merit-making ritual with 160 monks. The programme also featured a tribute ceremony to the statue of Her Royal Highness Princess Srinagarindra, and the annual forest robe offering (Pha Pa) ceremony to raise funds for education.
The Pha Pa ceremony aimed to provide scholarships for MFU students who are dedicated to their studies but face financial hardship. In the 2025 academic year, the University raised a total of 367,171 baht through the joint efforts of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and benefactors. Additionally, MFU awarded 1,080 scholarships, worth a combined 26,893,350 baht, to academically outstanding but financially disadvantaged students.
On this occasion, MFU also presented certificates of recognition to individuals and divisions who have significantly contributed to the University’s success and reputation. A total of seven awards were granted in two categories: Outstanding Employee Awards and Outstanding Contributor to University Recognition Awards. These awards aim to encourage academic excellence and innovations that benefit both society and the nation. Award recipients included:
• The Outstanding Employee Award (Academic Staff): Assoc. Prof. Dr. Patcharee Pripdeevech, School of Science, recognised for excellence in teaching, research, academic services, and student development. Her internationally acclaimed research focuses on environmental science, particularly studies on PM 2.5 dust and heavy metal contamination in the Kok River.
• The Outstanding Employee Award (Administrative Staff): Mrs. Rapeepan Na Lampang, Scientific and Technological Instruments Centre, acknowledged for initiating systematic operations, internal control mechanisms, and implementing ISO 9001:2015 quality management in practice.
• The Outstanding Contributor to University Recognition Awards:
The celebration gathered members of the University Council, executives, representatives from government and private organisations, staff, and students. It reaffirmed MFU’s role as a driving force in advancing education, research, and healthcare services, contributing sustainably to Chiang Rai and the Greater Mekong Subregion.
