Shillong, Sept 24: A high-level delegation led by H.E. Mrs. Urasa Mongkolnavin, Director-General, Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, accompanied by representatives from leading Thai universities, paid an official visit to the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, with the objective of exploring avenues for strengthening academic, research and institutional cooperation between NEHU and universities in Thailand.
The delegation was welcomed by Prof. S. R. Joshi, Director R & D Cell, NEHU who extended a warm welcome to the Thai delegates and requested the Vice-Chancellor-in-Charge, Prof. S. K. Barik, for his remarks and facilitation of the interaction and discussions with the visiting delegation.
In his inaugural address, Prof. S. K. Barik, Vice-Chancellor-in-Charge, NEHU, expressed his gratitude to H.E. Mrs. Urasa Mongkolnavin and the visiting delegation for choosing NEHU as part of their official academic outreach. He highlighted the importance of strengthening India–Thailand academic relations and expressed NEHU’s interest in developing meaningful and sustained partnerships with Thai universities.
Prof. Barik proposed the establishment of an umbrella centre at NEHU, to be known as the “Centre for Indo–Thai Collaboration”, which would serve as a common platform for promoting and coordinating academic and research partnerships between NEHU and Thai universities. The proposed Centre would encompass diverse fields of study and research and facilitate collaborative programmes, academic exchanges, joint research and other institutional initiatives.
Addressing the gathering, H.E. Mrs. Urasa Mongkolnavin thanked the Vice-Chancellor-in-Charge and NEHU for hosting the Thai delegation, which included representatives from Thai academia. She emphasised that the Government of Thailand envisages the visit not as a one-time engagement but as the beginning of a long-term academic association and cooperation between institutions in Thailand and NEHU.
She highlighted the importance of promoting the exchange of ideas, joint research projects, faculty and scholar exchanges, and student mobility. She further noted that formal Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between NEHU and Thai universities could provide an institutional framework for sustained cooperation and jointly implemented academic and research activities.
H.E. Mrs. Mongkolnavin also pointed out that one of the Thai academic delegates is an alumnus of NEHU who completed his Ph.D. in the Department of Hindi, NEHU, and continues to serve as an important academic link between Thailand and the University.
Representatives from Thammasat University – India Studies Center, Prince of Songkla University and Ubon Ratchathani University, along with Thammasat University, presented their respective academic programmes, faculties, research centres and areas of international engagement. The representatives outlined opportunities for cooperation in multidisciplinary areas and discussed possibilities for student and faculty exchanges, joint research projects, academic programmes and scholarship opportunities for Indian students.
The presentations also highlighted existing international engagement, student and staff mobility, and opportunities for joint research and knowledge exchange at Thammasat University. Representatives from Prince of Songkhla University also highlighted graduate scholarship opportunities, including tuition fee waivers and financial support for eligible Master’s and Doctoral students.
The visiting delegation also shared a proposed two-year action plan for establishing and developing a Thai Studies Centre in Assam and Meghalaya. The proposed activities include the establishment of an information and learning corner, Thai language learning resources, academic seminars, an annual Thai–India Symposium, expert panels, knowledge exchange and academic translation initiatives.
The action plan further envisages faculty, researcher and student exchange programmes, joint academic activities and institutional integration to ensure the sustainability of Thai–India academic cooperation. Its proposed two-year roadmap includes the establishment of the centre, inaugural seminars, an online Thai–India Symposium, personnel exchange, academic translation and subsequent institutionalisation of the programme.
During the interaction, Deans and faculty members of NEHU presented the University’s areas of academic expertise and ongoing research activities. The discussions covered a wide range of disciplines, including Biochemistry, Physical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Information Technology, Nanotechnology, Cultural Studies and other emerging and interdisciplinary areas. The NEHU representatives emphasised the potential for developing collaborative research projects, academic exchanges and joint programmes with Thai institutions.
The discussions underscored the multidisciplinary nature of the proposed partnership, with potential areas of cooperation ranging from science and technology to medicine and healthcare, traditional medicine, socio-economic studies, cultural studies and other fields. The Thai Studies action plan specifically identifies technology, medicine and healthcare, and socio-economic dimensions as important areas for Thai–India knowledge exchange.
The visit concluded with a shared commitment to explore concrete mechanisms for strengthening India–Thailand academic relations, including institutional MoUs, joint research, faculty and student mobility, scholarships, academic seminars and the establishment of a sustained institutional framework for cooperation.
The proposed Centre for Indo–Thai Collaboration at NEHU is envisaged as an important platform that could bring together the University’s diverse academic disciplines and provide a coordinated mechanism for building long-term partnerships with Thai universities.
Prof. L. Kma, Registrar (In-Charge) emphasized on materialising the purpose of the interaction and expressed happiness over the concrete resolution to extablish a centre at NEHU. He also proposed a formal vote of thanks to the visiting Thai Team and the faculty of NEHU for their active participation.
