The executive team from Ocean University of China (OUC), P. R. China, led by Prof. Yu Zhigang, President of OUC, paid a visit to PSU from 29 October to 2 November 2019.
PSU President Asst. Prof. Dr. Niwat Keawpradub welcomed the delegates, together with the Vice President for International Affairs Asst. Prof. Dr. Thakerng Wongsirichot and the representatives from the Faculty of Natural Resources, Faculty of Agro Industry, Faculty of Science and Technology, and the Marine and Coastal Resources Institute (MACORIN). The highlight of the event was the signing of an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding), signifying closer ties of collaboration between the two universities. Accordingly, several types of collaborations were discussed during the meeting, including staff and student exchange programs, short-term exchange and cultural exchange. The partners also considered degree programs in areas of mutual interest, and collaborative research in the field of marine science.
The OUC delegates toured the laboratories of the Faculty of Agro-Industry and the Faculty of Natural Resources at Hat Yai Campus. They also visited the Faculty of Science and Technology at Pattani Campus, where they were shown the laboratories of the faculty, including its seaweed laboratory. As part of the visit, PSU researchers demonstrated transforming ocean waste into usable items such as sandals.
OUC is a comprehensive university with particular strengths in oceanography and fisheries science. The university is located in Qingdao city, Shandong province in northeast China. PSU and OUC are members of the China-ASEAN FEN (Fisheries Education Network), which supports and enhances the fisheries and aquaculture sector through education, research, and public outreach in the region. As a result, OUC has a close collaboration with the PSU Faculty of Science and Technology; the two sides have engaged in mutually beneficial projects, such as the exchange of visiting lecturers, and the organization of a joint seminar. The current signing of MoU will greatly promote and strengthen this fruitful cooperation, and provide more collaborative opportunities for faculty and students in the future.
