Education and research collaborations and exchanges with our neighboring countries is a key aspect of Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy. Its central focus is to increase and strengthen links with our many neighboring countries in Southeast Asia, and further afield in South Asia, and Oceania. Cross-border education is clearly essential for promoting economic development and facilitating regional ties.

The emphasis is on developing people-oriented exchanges; sharing resources; and nurturing mutual prosperity here in our region. Expanding our already vibrant interaction with universities in Thailand is an important component of this. 516 agreements have already been signed between universities in our two countries, and these include more than a dozen with Mahidol University, one of the leading universities in Thailand. Mahidol University is a research university that is widely recognized for its work in the fields of medical and scientific education and research.

Dr. Udom Kachintorn, clinical professor and president of Mahidol University led a delegation of seventeen administrators and faculty members on a three-day study visit to Taiwan from March 16 to 18, 2017.

On March 17, Dr. Min-lin Yang, the Director-General of the Department of International and Cross-strait Education welcomed the Mahidol University delegation to the Ministry of Education to meet with representatives of Taipei Medical University, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, the Elite Study in Taiwan Office, and the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan to discuss further possible cooperation, particularly in the life sciences, medicine, nursing, and engineering fields.

During their stay, the Mahidol University delegation visited National Taiwan University, and China Medical University, and a number of research centers, and saw some of Taiwan’s advanced academic facilities first hand. And Dr. Udom Kachintorn signed a memorandum of understanding with Academia Sinica, and another with Taipei Medical University.

Photo: Dr. Udom Kachintorn, president of Mahidol University (center left) and Dr. Liu Ching-Ren, Education Counsellor at the Ministry of Education Department of International & Cross-strait Educations (center right) with the members of the Mahidol University delegation