On 20 February 2025, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., at Meeting Room 9, 2nd Floor of the Kasetsart Golden Jubilee Administration and Information Center Building, Kasetsart University Bangkhen Campus, Asst. Prof. Dr.rer.Soc Supapatpimol Simlee, Assistant to the President for International Affairs (represented Dr. Damrong Sripraram, Acting President of Kasetsart University), graciously presided over the welcoming ceremony. She was accompanied by university administrators and faculty members, including Assistant Professor Dr. Aracha Krasae-in, Assistant Dean for International Affairs, Faculty of Architecture; Associate Professor Dr. Chatchawan Jantasuriyarat, Associate Dean for Research and International Affairs, Faculty of Science; Acting Second Lieutenant Phunsin Kantha, Assistant Dean, Kasetsart University International College; Mr. Piyajit Pratipasen, Educator, Kasetsart University International College; Miss Wanida Kammani, Foreign Relations Officer, Faculty of Economics; and personnel of the International Affairs Division, extended a warm welcome and engaged in academic collaboration discussions with the delegation from Southwest Forestry University (SWFU), China, comprising of Professor DAI Fei, Deputy Director, Office of Science and Technology; Professor ZGOU Xiaojian, Vice Dean, College of Materials and Chemical Engineering; Professor WANG Leiguang, Vice Dean, College of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture; Mr. WANG Haitao, Section Chief, Division of International Cooperation and Exchange; Ms. ZHANG Wangfei, Professor, College of Forestry (College of Asia-Pacific Forestry); Ms. LI Xiaolin, Associate Professor, College of Soil and Water Conservation; and Ms. LIU Anmeng, Lecturer, College of Economics and Management on the occasion of their official visit to Kasetsart University.

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During this reception, Asst. Prof. Dr.rer.Soc Supapatpimol Simlee delivered a welcoming address and presented a video introducing Kasetsart University as a comprehensive institution. Subsequently, Professor DAI Fei expressed gratitude for the warm reception and hoped the discussions would lead to academic collaborations and other activities between the two institutions. He also took the opportunity to exchange views on various projects, including educational and research collaborations and student and staff exchanges between the two universities.

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The SWFU delegation provided an overview of their institution, highlighting that SWFU is the only independent forestry university in southwestern China, located in Yunnan Province. The university comprises 21 colleges offering over 164 programs, including undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees in fields such as Forestry, Biodiversity Conservation, and Materials and Chemical Engineering. Currently, SWFU enrolls over 31,000 students.

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The meeting focused on academic and research collaborations, encompassing student and staff exchanges between the two universities. Key initiatives discussed included Bilateral Symposia, Co-research Projects, Summer School Programs, Adjunct Professor Programs, and Language and Cultural Programs. These initiatives aim to strengthen the educational network and foster international collaboration, allowing both institutions to leverage their resources in developing projects beneficial to academic advancement and societal development in the long term. During the meeting, representatives from each faculty of both institutions introduced themselves and presented information about their respective faculties. They also exchanged valuable insights to foster collaboration, particularly in existing programs and activities, as well as potential future initiatives.

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The development of this collaboration will strengthen research and academic exchanges between the two universities, particularly in the fields of agricultural science and forestry, which are areas of strength where both institutions have the potential to innovate and expand research projects that can address the needs of both the country and the region. This visit marks an important step in building academic relations between the two universities, especially in the areas of research and the development of shared academic skills. Kasetsart University and Southwest Forestry University (SWFU) have built cooperation in several areas since 1990 through various programs, including student and faculty exchanges, as well as joint research across multiple disciplines, particularly in the fields of engineering and forestry, such as the Bilateral Conference, the establishment of a joint faculty, the Sino-Thai project, and the Double Degree program, which help enhance mutual understanding and develop practical and academic skills beneficial to both institutions.

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Following the discussions, Asst. Prof. Dr.rer.Soc Supapatpimol Simlee presented a commemorative gift to the SWFU delegation as a symbol of friendship between the two institutions and took a group photo to commemorate the occasion. In the afternoon, the delegation visited the Faculty of Forestry and continued discussions with its administrators.