On Thursday, June 6, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., in Meeting Room 9, 2nd Floor of the Golden Jubilee Administration and Information Center Building at Kasetsart University, Associate Professor Dr. Chamaipak Maiklad, Assistant to the President for International Affairs, presided over as the chair of the Welcoming Remarks along with the administrators and faculty members, including Professor Dr. Arinthip Thamchaipenet, Associate Dean for Research and International Affairs, the Faculty of Science; Assistant Professor Dr. Ratcha Chaichana, Deputy Dean for International Relations, Faculty of Environment; Assistant Professor Dr. Passorn Wannaphinit, Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science; Assistant Professor Dr. Piya Kittipadakul, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture; Associate Professor Dr. Supachai Vuttipongchaikij, Deputy Head of the Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science; and personnel from the International Affairs Division. They welcomed the delegation from the University of York, United Kingdom, led by Professor Neil C. Bruce, Director of the CNAP Research Center, along with Professor Lindsay Stringer, Director of the YESI Research Center, and Dr. Leonardo Gomez, Senior Research Fellow, CNAP, Department of Biology, on the occasion of their official visit to Kasetsart University.

Associate Professor Dr. Chamaipak Maiklad, Assistant to the President for International Affairs, welcomed the delegation and mentioned that this is a great opportunity to meet and discuss with representatives from the University of York to promote and support academic cooperation and joint research between the two universities both presently and in the future, especially in the fields of Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetics.

Following this, Professor Neil C. Bruce, Director of the CNAP Research Center, expressed his gratitude and pleasure in meeting with Kasetsart University administrators. He described that the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP) at the University of York is a research institute focused on developing innovations in agriculture, such as bioenergy crops, high-value plants, genetic engineering, and sustainable agriculture. By utilizing modern technology in research, it aims to solve agricultural and environmental problems. CNAP collaborates with industry and government agencies to effectively apply research findings.

Next, Professor Lindsay Stringer, Director of YESI, introduced the York Environmental Sustainability Institute (YESI) at the University of York. This research center focuses on studying and addressing environmental sustainability issues. By integrating interdisciplinary research, it aims to present effective solutions to environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity, and natural resource management.

Finally, Dr. Leonardo Gomez, Senior Research Fellow at the CNAP Research Center in the Department of Biology at the University of York, discussed his research on the development of highly efficient and sustainable plants. Using genetic engineering technology and advanced biological methods, he aims to improve crop yield and durability in response to environmental challenges. He also discussed and introduced research carried out in collaboration with Kasetsart University and other universities in different countries, highlighting fields of interest for future research collaborations.

The meeting also discussed international collaborations, such as promoting opportunities to apply for national and global research funding and academic cooperation in various ongoing and future research projects between the two institutions. Examples of future collaborations include research on duckweed, cassava, and fungi. Associate Professor Dr. Chamaipak Maiklad expressed her support and recommended promoting collaborations with more diverse faculties or interdisciplinary subjects in the future, such as humanities and social sciences. The University of York has had a good relationship with Kasetsart University for a long time, having signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in 2004, leading to various joint projects such as short-term student exchanges and the exchange of researchers and faculty members.