Fourteen PSU delegates visited ten universities and academic institutions in Turkey and Jordan from May 14-20, 2013. The PSU delegation, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chusak Limsakul, PSU President, successfully fulfilled its objectives of establishing new collaborations with Turkish and Jordanian educational institutions.

Courtesy Calls and MOUs

During this trip, the PSU delegates had the great honor to have courtesy calls on the President of The Presidency of Religious Affairs in Turkey, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Jordan, and the Royal Thai Ambassadors in Turkey and Jordan. Moreover, the PSU members meet with distinguished representatives from Ankara University, Fatih University, Istanbul University, Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkiye (TUSKON), and Pacific Countries Social and Economic Solidarity Association (PASIAD) in Turkey; and from Yarmouk University in Jordan. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and an Agreement regarding MEVLANA Exchange Programme Protocol with Ankara University, and a new MOU with Yarmouk University were signed.

Plans for Collaboration

Some of the collaborative activities discussed during the official visits concern: the opening of a Turkish Study Program at our Faculty of Political Science in Pattani Campus; the PSU Faculty of Medicine assistance to Yarmouk University for the establishment of its Faculty of Medicine; the joint support of the Thai students in Jordan, offered by the Royal Thai Ambassador and PSU Science Park, in order for them to have more training and widen their experience in entrepreneurship, which will offer them more opportunities for their future carrier; the MEVLANA Exchange Programme Protocol Agreement with Ankara University, funded by the Turkish Government, which includes the exchange of 20 administrators and academic staff in the areas of law, medicine, political sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, and languages; and the PASIAD and PSU Halal Institute collaboration in Halal field, such as a joint participation in the IMT-GT HAPEX 2013 at the PSU International Convention Center in September. Other possible future collaboration may include student exchanges, visiting professors, joint degrees, joint research, and joint conferences.

Furthermore, our delegates had the chance to discover various historical and cultural places in Turkey and Jordan, and enjoyed the warm hospitality of the two nations.