On 1 June 2023, at 10:00 a.m., at room 201, Vachiranusorn Building, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkhen Campus. Associate Professor Dr. Kampanat Pensupar, Vice President for International Affairs honored to preside over to deliver the welcoming remarks along with Assistant Professor Dr. Pathamaporn Sripadungtham, Vice Dean for International Affairs, Faculty of Engineering; and personnel of the International Affairs Division welcomed and attended a meeting to discuss academic cooperation with executives and staff from CUAARRD Consortium, Republic of the Philippines, led by Dr. Miladis M. Afdehao, CUAARRD, Consortium Director on the occasion of an official visit to Kasetsart University.

On this occasion, Associate Professor Dr. Kampanat Pensupar, Vice President for International Affairs welcomed the delegations on their official visits and is pleased to support the opportunity for cooperation in education between Kasetsart University and CUAARRD Consortium. The Vice President for International Affairs gave a broad overview of Kasetsart University as a large public university consisting of 4 campuses and the Suphanburi Campus Establishment Project and the Faculty of Medicine Establishment Project, and further said that Kasetsart University just entered its 80th year in February 2023. Kasetsart University was the first public university in Thailand to offer courses in agriculture. At present, Kasetsart University offers higher education programs in various fields both bachelor’s degree and graduate level according to international standards.

The visit of Kasetsart University of the executives and staff from CUAARRD Consortium, Republic of the Philippines is to learn more about research and innovation related to agriculture, food, resources, and research technology and innovation which Kasetsart University has strengths at the forefront of the world. Then, Dr. Miladis M. Afdehao, CUAARRD Consortium Director expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and provided information about CUAARRD Consortium, as well as the purpose of this visit to Kasetsart University, which is to conduct benchmarking activity at Kasetsart University and acquire the necessary knowledge and latest information for the improvement of leadership management by the consortium member institutions’ heads which are essential factors to the advancement of the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources sectors that significantly contribute to suitable development and to the improvement of the quality of life of the people in Cagayan Valley through enhanced productivity, tangible impact, and safe & efficient R&D/E management operation and monitoring. The areas or topics in which CUAARRD focuses on the discussion are exposure to the state-of-the-art facility and known best practices of the leading public university in Thailand with focus undertakings on agricultural sciences, agricultural engineering, technology, and value-adding projects. 

CUAARRD or the Cagayan Valley Agriculture Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium, is based at Isabela State University (ISU), Echague, Isabela, Philippines. CUAARRD is a conglomerate of twenty (20) national governments and private agencies and academic institutions. CUAARRD exercised its full commitment and determination to promote science and technology applications for agriculture, aquatic, forestry, and natural resources (AANR) sectors and provide the venue for joint planning, monitoring, evaluation, and sharing of resources through collaborative interventions among its member institutions through the implementation of R&D/E management and coordination, strategic R&D, R&D results utilization, capability building and governance, and policy advocacy.

In summary, the meeting exchanged information and discussed the possibility of future cooperation between Kasetsart University and the CUAARRD Consortium, Republic of the Philippines to promote the exchange of academic knowledge and research between each other in a variety of disciplines and faculties. Both sides are looking forward to collaborate with each other in the near future. After that, the delegations from the CUAARRD Consortium, Republic of the Philippines visited the exhibition of World Milk Day 2023 (June 1, World Milk Day) organized by KU Dairy Center, on the 1st floor of the Golden Jubilee Administration and Information Center Building at Kasetsart University and visit the Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Fisheries in the afternoon before departing.