Kyoto University International ONLINE Symposium 2020 on Education and Research in Global Environmental Studies in Asia

On 30 November 2020, Prof. Banchong Mahaisavariya, President of Mahidol University, gave the opening remarks at the Kyoto University International ONLINE Symposium 2020 on Education and Research in Global Environmental Studies in Asia, which was hosted by Kyoto University and three co-hosting faculties from Mahidol University (Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies and Faculty of Public Health).

On this occasion, the executives from Kyoto University, led by Prof. Nagahiro Minato, President of Kyoto University, had a chance to discuss further collaboration with Mahidol University representatives including; Assoc. Prof. Nopraenue Sajjarax Dhirathiti, Vice President for International Relations and Corporate Communication; Assoc. Prof. Jackrit Suthakorn, Dean of Faculty of Engineering; Asst. Prof. Nawatch Surinkul, Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department; Assoc. Prof. Suwanna Kitpati Boontanon, Program Director of Master Program in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (Cross appointment faculty with Kyoto University); Asst. Prof. Watcharra Chintakovid, Assistant to the Vice President for Kanchanaburi Campus; Asst. Prof. Sumittra Suraratdecha, Acting Deputy Director for Education and International Affairs, Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia; and Dr. Poonperm Vardhanabindu, Assistant to the Dean for Academic Services and Resources, Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies.

This 2-Day Symposium welcomed a large number of participants from 31 universities and 10 organizations across Asian, African and European countries including Thailand, Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, India, Pakistan, France, England, and Tanzania.

A highlight of the Symposium was the information sharing on “Post COVID-19 Countermeasures in Education and Research”, with Prof. Prasit Watanapa from Mahidol University sharing the success of Thailand on COVID-19 management with the topic of “COVID-19: Catalyst of the Change in Medical Education and Technological” and Prof. Hajime Kita from Kyoto University discussing “Moving Teaching Online – Kyoto University’s Response to COVID-19”. Moreover, on day 2 of the Symposium, the young researchers will present their successful research in the sessions covering “Science and Technology”, “Agriculture and Biology”, “Urban and Rural Planning”, “Policy and Economics”.