MFU and NRCT Organise ‘Training for the Trainers’ Focusing on Integrated Knowledge Transfer

On 30 September 2026, Mae Fah Luang University (MFU), in collaboration with the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), marked the official opening of the "Training for the Trainers" programme for fiscal year 2026 at the Wanasawan Meeting Room, Wanasom, MFU. Professor Dr. Sujitra Wongkasemjit, MFU Vice President, presided over the opening ceremony and delivered the welcoming address. 

Running from 28 September to 2 October 2026, the programme aimed to develop qualified facilitators capable of transferring integrated knowledge across the network. The programme covered seven core modules, including research ethics and standards, integrated research question formulation, literature review, advanced research design, research proposal writing, knowledge transfer, and research management. 

Following the opening ceremony, participants attended a lecture on Module 5, “Integrated Research Proposal Writing”, by Prof. Dr. Phadungsak Rattanadecho, expert at the Programme Management Unit for Area Based Development (PMU A). Participants then engaged in hands-on group workshops on proposal development. Group facilitators across seven disciplines, covering engineering, agriculture, natural sciences, medical and health sciences, social sciences, humanities, and integrated research, comprised faculty members from Chulalongkorn University, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, MFU, Nakhon Phanom University, the National Institute of Development Administration, Srinakharinwirot University, the University of Phayao, and Walailak University. 

Additionally, participants learned about transferring research knowledge and experience from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rawiwan Charoensup, Head of the Medicinal Plant Innovation Center, MFU; training curriculum planning based on Outcome-Based Education (OBE) from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kamolwan Karomprach Klaykaew and Dr. Metinee Tanongkit of the Innovative Learning Center, Srinakharinwirot University; and facilitation skills from Asst. Prof. Dr. Pimpaporn Boonprasert of the Faculty of Humanities, Srinakharinwirot University.

Participants also visited the Institute for Mekong Basin Civilization, Arts and Culture, the herbal medicine production plant at the Medicinal Plant Innovation Center, and the Cosmetic Pilot Plant and Cosmetic Maker Space, to explore how research is applied in practical settings. They then participated in group practice sessions organised by research discipline, guided by group facilitators, followed by integrated networking activities.

The final day featured a panel discussion on research management and integrated research network building led by key MFU research heads, including Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pollavat Praphattong, Head of the Institute for Mekong Basin Civilization, Art and Culture; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rawiwan Charoensup, Head of the Medicinal Plant Innovation Centre; Asst. Prof. Dr. Amorn Owatworakit, Head of the Tea and Coffee Institute; and Asst. Prof. Dr. Suwichan Phattanaphraiwan, Head of the Research Unit for Indigenous and Ethno-Ecological Wisdom Peoples for Sustainable Development (RIEW-SD). The session was moderated by Mr. Karnkul Bumroongchad, Head of the Research Administration Division. Participants then presented their group research concepts. 

MFU continues to promote research through its specialised institutes and centers, including the Tea and Coffee Institute, the Medicinal Plant Innovation Center, and Institute for Mekong Basin Civilization, Arts and Culture, which serve as foundations for researcher development and driving local research utilisation. Through this programme, MFU aims to develop its personnel into research trainers capable of expanding researcher development within the university and across national networks.