First MOE Taiwan Studies Project in Thailand Launched at Naresuan University
The Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand worked with Naresuan University to launch a pioneer Taiwan Studies Project, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Taiwan. The goals of this project are to compare the differences between the creative cultural industries of Taiwan and those of Thailand, and to empower young people to express their creativities and encourage the infusion of cultures to and from the two countries.
Taiwan Studies Project at Naresuan University is composed of four activities. The first is to invite lecturers from Taiwan to give talks and share Taiwan’s experiences and policies regarding Taiwanese cultural industry developments in past decades. Secondly, several students from universities in Taiwan will be invited to come to Naresuan University to do research on the cultural industries in Thailand together with Thai students who share the same research interests.
The third activity will be visits to Thai Chanasul Village in Sukothai, which is a one-hour drive from the university, to discover how to transform village cultural heritage sites into tourist spots with a unique cultural attraction. The fourth activity will be to invite experts in Taiwan and Thailand to a round-table meeting at the university to discuss reshaping and developing better creative industries in each country.
Dr. Su Ming-Ju, Assistant Professor of College of Culture and Creativity, at Shih Chien University in Taiwan was the first lecturer from Taiwan to be invited to Naresuan University as the Taiwan Studies Project Lecturer in November 2017. Dr. Su spent two weeks at Naresuan University where she gave lectures to faculty members and students on: Histories and Policies of Taiwan Cultural Heritage, How to Make a Creative City with Diverse Culture, and Taking Kaohsiung City as a Model for Cultural Creativity. Her lectures boosted attendees’ understanding of Taiwan’s efforts to promote modernization of its cities, while at the same time also working to nurture and maintain Taiwan’s creative culture to attract more tourists, which includes persuading local people to help preserve their cultural heritages.
The Taiwan Studies Project at Naresuan University is a one-year project that will run from November 2017 to October 2018. Other academic experts and researchers from Taiwan will follow Dr. Su and go to Thailand to deliver talks on Taiwan’s cultural industry developments, and engage in research on Thai local cultural villages and cultural industries. It is hoped that this project will bring more awareness to infuse the local culture in Taiwan and Thailand with modern interpretations, and that injecting energy, capital and wisdom from government agencies, university academics, and young people will bring more creativity to old rundown cities.
Photo:Naresuan University Campus