On 22 October 2026, a delegation from Kasetsart University’s Faculty of Engineering attended the 2026 International Conference on Engineering Education Innovation and Development in South and Southeast Asia. The KU delegation was led by led by Associate Professor Dr Suchat Leungprasert, Associate Dean for Administration; accompanied by Associate Professor Dr Ratchatee Techapaisanjaroenkij, Head of the Department of Materials Engineering; and Associate Professor Dr Viganda Varabuntoonvit, a lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering. The conference’s theme was “Engineering Education in the Digital Intelligence Era: Empowering Sustainable Development for the Region.”
The conference brought together senior officials and representatives from government agencies and universities across South and Southeast Asia, as well as China, Ireland, South Korea, and Spain. It was held at the Wanda Realm Kunming Hotel in Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China.
The conference marked the first joint gathering of partners working to advance innovation and development in engineering education across South and Southeast Asia. The opening ceremony was chaired by Professor Dr Yang Bin, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST). The event provided an opportunity for academic and industry representatives to share their knowledge and experience in engineering education in the digital era, curriculum development, and learning innovation, and to build international partnerships. It also sought to strengthen cooperation among educational institutions and engineering organizations in the region, with a focus on applying technology and innovation to improve educational quality, develop the engineering workforce, and support sustainable development.
In addition, the event featured the launch of the International Engineering Education Bilingual Series Textbooks, an initiative to share engineering knowledge and support international learning. Special lectures by experts explored research, development, and engineering education connected to industry in the digital intelligence era. Furthermore, participants signed a cooperation charter to establish the South and Southeast Asian Alliance for Innovation and Development in Engineering Education. The alliance aims to promote joint research, faculty and student exchanges, curriculum development, sharing of educational resources, and cooperation with industry.
The next day, on 23 October, the KU delegation met with senior leadership of Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST) in order to discuss academic cooperation and the development of a master’s-level double degree program in Materials Engineering. KUST’s discussions were led by Professor Dr Feng Jing, Dean of their Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Professor Dr Liu Xiang, Associate Dean, and other administrators and faculty members.
The negotiations focused on strengthening cooperation between the two universities in graduate education, raising academic standards, and providing students with opportunities to learn and develop in an international academic environment. The two sides discussed details of a “1+1.5” double degree program, including curriculum design, credit transfer, thesis requirements, joint thesis supervision, graduation standards, and assessment of academic achievement, with the aim of aligning the program with the requirements of both institutions.
They also exchanged views on student admissions, cohort size, language requirements, and student registration. In addition, they discussed establishing procedures for a joint program management committee to ensure effective coordination between both universities and support the program’s successful implementation. The discussion also covered research cooperation, student and staff exchanges, and the development of expertise in materials engineering. Both parties considered ways to build an academic collaboration network that could expand research opportunities and provide learning experiences connected to advances in science, technology, and industry.
During the visit, the KU delegation toured the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering and its research laboratories. The visit provided an opportunity to exchange information on teaching and research and to explore the potential for future cooperation between the two institutions.
