From January 13th to 16th, 2013, Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh (Rector of the University) was on a working trip to the Kingdom of Thailand.During his working visit, Professor Nguyen Van Khanh visited Mahidol University at the official invitation of the Rector, Professor Rajata Rajatanavin. As one of Thailand's top three universities, established in 1888, Mahidol University offers high-quality training programs and boasts many talented undergraduate and postgraduate students. Part of the Royal Thai University system, Mahidol University currently comprises 17 faculties, 6 colleges, 8 centers, and 7 research institutes focusing on three main areas: Medical Sciences, Technology and Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences and Humanities. In recent years, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has engaged in several scientific collaborations with Mahidol University through the Institute for Asian Language and Culture Studies. To formalize the cooperative relationship between the two universities and promote teaching and scientific research in the future, the rectors of both sides signed a cooperation agreement on January 15, 2013, at Salaya Campus, Mahidol University. This is an important framework agreement providing a legal basis for the two universities to implement several specific agreements from now until 2018, especially in scientific and educational activities aimed at building the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015, a key task assigned by the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand to major universities in Thailand. During the signing ceremony, Professor Nguyen Van Khanh discussed and agreed with the leaders of Mahidol University, representatives of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Institute of Asian Languages and Cultures, the International College, etc., on student exchange programs and co-organizing international conferences. Two international conferences are planned: 1. The Role of Vietnam and Thailand in Building the ASEAN Community; 2. Research on Tai-Kradai Language and Culture in Southeast Asia. These will be alternately organized by the two universities in Hanoi and Bangkok in 2013 and 2014. A delegation of students and faculty from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of Mahidol University will visit the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in April 2013.
Besides visiting and signing a cooperation agreement with Mahidol, Professor Nguyen Van Khanh also visited Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University and worked with Associate Professor Ponlasit Noochoochai, the university's Rector. The two universities signed a cooperation agreement in 2008. Each year, Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University sends 20 to 30 students to study culture and language at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, and currently, four students from the University are also pursuing postgraduate studies at Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University. Associate Professor Ponlasit Noochoochai, who recently assumed his four-year term at Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University, pledged to continue maintaining and further promoting the excellent scientific and educational cooperation between the two universities in the future.
