On 4 November 2024 from 11:00 a.m. – 12.20 p.m. in the IAD meeting room, 10th floor, the Golden Jubilee Administration and Information Center Building, Kasetsart University, Associate Professor Dr. Chamaipak Maiklad, Assistant to the President for International Affairs along with Professor Dr. Wanwipa Vongsangnak, the Acting Dean of Kasetsart University International College (KUIC), Professor Matthew Paul Downs, Consultant for International Relations, Economics Center for International Affairs (ECIA), Faculty of Economics; Assistant Professor Dr. Korakit Choomgrant, Associate Dean for International Affairs and Educational Quality Development, Faculty of Social Sciences; Associate Professor Dr. Nuttakan Nitayapat, Deputy Dean for International Affairs, Faculty of Agro-Industry; Assistant Professor Dr. Mukda Suktarachan, Head of the Department of Linguistics, in the PhD program; Assistant Professor Dr.  Natchanan Nartpratan, Deputy Head of the Department of Linguistics, in the Master's degree program; Assistant Professor Dr. Aracha Krasae-in, Assistant Dean for International Affairs, Faculty of Architecture; Mr. Piyajit Pratipasen, Educator, Academic Affairs, Kasetsart University International College (KUIC); Miss Pratthana Thirakiettikun, Head of the International Collaboration and Networking Section, and IAD representatives, warmly welcomed the delegation from the University of Reading, United Kingdom, Dr. Lamma Zghoul, Senior Global Partnerships Manager, along with Dr. Sarah Carder, Director, Graduate Institute for International Development, Agriculture and Economics, on the occasion of their official visit to Kasetsart University.

On this occasion, Associate Professor Dr. Chamaipak Maiklad extended a warm welcome and expressed support for fostering educational collaboration between the two institutions. Following this, Dr. Sarah Carder expressed her gratitude for the warm reception during her return visit to Kasetsart University. She also conveyed her pleasure in meeting with faculty members from various faculties to discuss collaborative opportunities in areas of mutual interest.

This visit builds upon discussions from University of Reading administrators' previous visit to Kasetsart University in November 2023, where key points of collaboration were discussed, including:

Explore potential PhD Collaboration models in the Department of Linguistics

University-wide Study Abroad Arrangement/exchanges

Sharing the 4+1 Master’s Progression template with KU.

Collaboratively work on legal aspects and agree upon a discount for the 4+1 university-wide master’s progression.

Kasetsart University and the University of Reading have held a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) since 2007, and in 2023, the Faculty of Agro-Industry signed an Agreement for International Study Abroad Student Placement, providing undergraduate students with the opportunity to study at the University of Reading.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed these existing areas of collaboration and explored opportunities to expand cooperation in various fields with other faculties beyond Food Science and Agriculture, which are currently the primary fields of partnership. The University of Reading expressed interest in broadening its academic collaboration with Kasetsart University across a wide range of disciplines to support students at undergraduate, Master’s, and doctoral levels, focusing on developing relevant skills and expertise aligned with Kasetsart University’s priorities.

Additional topics discussed included student and staff mobility between institutions, research collaboration and linkages to strengthen institutional connections, continuing professional development to support specialists in staying updated in their fields, credit transfer options, study abroad programs, double degree partnerships, scholarship opportunities and tuition fee reductions, short exchange programs, summer school courses, joint publications, and more.

The University of Reading expressed interest in initiating partnerships in Linguistics with the Faculty of Humanities, as well as with the Faculty of Agro-Industry, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Economics—specifically in the areas of Agricultural Economics and Food Marketing—the Faculty of Architecture, and KUIC. This also includes interest in the “5F project” stemming from the Future Design concept led by the university president. Both parties were pleased with the discussions held and look forward to further developing their academic partnership, strengthening international education, and fostering long-term cooperation to the benefit of students, faculty, and staff at both institutions.

After the meeting, Associate Professor Dr. Chamaipak Maiklad presented a token of appreciation to the delegation from the University of Reading, followed by a group photo to commemorate the occasion.