An Oud to Paradise: The Quest for the Perfect Cup of Agarwood Tea

Gaharu, agarwood, or oud, also known as the Wood of Gods, is one of the most expensive woods in the world. Its high price is due to the scarcity of agarwood trees and the lack of cultivation, and it has been listed for conservation because of habitat loss and overlogging. In Indonesia, designated conservation areas are home to the primary source of agarwood, the Aquilaria malaccensis. The hardwood tree can grow up to 40 meters with a 40-60 cm trunk diameter; its wood is straight with whitish brown bark and delicate texture, while the inner part of the wood before the core or the sapwood is uniformly black and exudes a fragrant aroma when cut. This part of the sapwood determines the quality of the agarwood.

The fragrant aroma of agarwood is caused by the fungus Fusarium sp, which attacks the sapwood but also causes changes in its chemical composition for which the agarwood is sought; the fragrance for perfume and incense, and the anti-bacterial, anti-fungal capabilities for cough medicine and insecticide. Its high resin content makes it widely used in the perfume industry.

This particularity of the agarwood plant attracted Ridwanti Batubara, S.Hut, MP, a lecturer at the Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara, to research other benefits and uses of agarwood. Her previous studies focused on medicinal plant research; Ridwanti began conducting a series of research in 2012 with assistance from The Wikstea Instant Prastartup Team consisting of Sri Megawati Lubis (CEO), Rizki Hambali Harahap, Adrian Anshori Hasibuan, Karina Aulia, and Ilfa Nindita Harahap for research development.

The process was carried out through an extended period from 2012 to 2021. It began in 2012-2014 with initial product development, chemical content, potential anti-oxidant research, consumer testing (hedonic test), and comparison tests with other herbal teas. They continued testing in 2015-2016 on the safety of agarwood leaf tea non-clinically, then on the availability of raw agarwood leaf tea resources and shelf life in 2017-2019. In 2020, the development of products made from agarwood leaf extract and instant agarwood tea began. In 2021, a shelf-life test and microbial contamination were carried out, and the “Instant Wikstea” pre-startup was pioneered.

Ridwanti states that agarwood leaves are rich in benefits and anti-oxidants. Although the tree has begun to be widely planted and cultivated in recent years, its leaves are rarely used. She sees this as an untapped potential for research into agarwood leaf tea, although with some reservations.

Many people complain about agarwood tea because it has a tart and unpleasant taste due to the presence of tannins. Thankfully, rigorous three-year safety tests reveal that the tea is safe for consumption and possesses beneficial properties for the skin. Both natural and cultivated agarwood are rich in benefits and anti-oxidants.

Ridwanti revealed that she tried the agarwood tea processing technology with a simple drying method. The leaves are dried, brewed, dried in the sun, in the oven, then roasted. This process determines the optimum longevity of the anti-oxidants after the tea has been packaged. Ridwanti emphasizes that she wanted to avoid using various additives to increase shelf life and recommends three months at a cooler temperature for display storage.

Regarding its taste, Ridwanti also experimented with natural flavorings for those who don’t like the tea’s bitter taste. Through some consumer testing, the most favored ones are the original agarwood, ginger, and lemongrass flavors.

Ridwanti intends to explore further uses for the efficacy of agarwood tea on health, such as for COVID-19 patients, considering that one of its benefits is to increase stamina and immunity. In cooking, dishes can also be mixed with agarwood leaves, and if mixed in while cooking rice, it can also slow down its staleness.

For its many benefits and valuable properties, Ridwanti still hopes that the government can further strengthen the conservation of Indonesian agarwood forests while wisely controlling the utilization of raw agarwood materials for various industries. She explained that natural agarwood and cultivated agarwood are strongly influenced by soil quality. Agarwood can grow in the lowlands to the highlands. Common on the banks of rivers and in rubber tree forests. Its symbiosis with rubber plants suggests a healthy ecosystem is needed if this tree of paradise has a hope of continuing to grace the earth with its divine aroma.

The niche MBA

Business education is going niche.

The traditional MBA has long been regarded as the gold standard for aspiring business leaders. However, recent years have witnessed a notable increase in the demand among students for specialised management degrees.

These programmes, tailored to specific sectors such as hospital administration, entertainment management and beyond, have surged in popularity, driven by the demand for specialised skills and expertise in niche industries, while demand for more generalised MBAs has plateaued.

The latest Application Trends Survey from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which runs the GMAT entrance exam to business schools, shows that while overall demand for business master’s degrees declined 3 percent last year, demand for the MBA experienced a steeper drop of 5 percent.

Prior to 2023, the total number of business master’s applications – a bucket that includes specialised degrees in areas like finance, as well as management – has largely been increasing over the past several years.

“The evolution of the business landscape, particularly the impact of tech and environmental factors, means that many graduates are looking to ensure they have expertise to offer, but grounded in a business education environment,” says Nalisha Patel, regional director for Europe at GMAC.

Since 2014, GMAC data shows the Master’s of Finance has been the most popular business Master’s degree, followed by the Master’s of Data Analytics.

Other areas, such as Technology, Sustainability Management, Real Estate and Healthcare have also seen spikes in interest among prospective students, contributing to declines in for broader programmes, according to a recent QS report. Emerging niches, such as Supply Chain Management and Hospitality Management, have also seen initial bumps in interest.

The proliferation of specialised management degrees can be attributed to several factors.

Firstly, the increasing complexity and specialisation within industries necessitate a deep understanding of sector-specific nuances and challenges. For instance, the healthcare industry requires administrators who comprehend healthcare policy, medical ethics, and patient care management.

Furthermore, as industries become more competitive, organisations seek candidates with niche knowledge and skills that can drive innovation and foster growth.

Specialised management degrees offer students a focused curriculum that hones in on industry-specific competencies, equipping them with the expertise needed to excel in their chosen field.

New York University’s Stern School of Business launched its MS in Business Analytics Programme more than 10 years ago, a first among top business schools.

Since then, the part-time programme for students who are already in work has been enhanced to focus on how artificial intelligence tools can be applied to data-driven decision making.

“The intersection of business and AI is now a key pillar of the programme,” says Anindya Ghose, academic director of the NYU Stern programme. “This kind of analysis is essential to every sector; we’ve seen the range of industry backgrounds our students come from greatly expand in recent years to include manufacturing, media, retail, IT, consulting, financial services and more.”

The degree, priced at $87,800, helps students leverage data to drive strategic decision making in their organizations.

Life cycles

These niche business Master’s programmes often integrate hands-on experience, such as internships or practicums, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios – and build valuable industry connections.

For example: HEC Paris’s Master’s in International Finance prepares students for careers in the finance industry through a four-month internship built into the full-time degree programme. The budding financiers also go on a study trip to London to visit the city’s many financial institutions.

Students have the chance to build strong connections with industry professionals. These networks can prove invaluable for career advancement and future collaborations. It’s notable that 100 percent of the students enrolled in HEC’s degree secured employment within three months of graduation last year, earning an average starting salary of €78,000.

“Typically, our graduates come out of the Master’s in International Finance programme with skills that allow them to be deployable from their first day on the job,” says Evren Örs, the programme’s academic director. Compared with 2019, the number of applications to the degree have increased by roughly 15 percent.

These specialised programmes offer tailored coursework that addresses the specific challenges and trends within a particular sector. This focused approach enables students to develop specialised skills that are directly applicable to their chosen field.

The full-time Master’s in Hospitality Management, at EHL Hospitality Business School in Switzerland, covers a wide range of areas relevant to the hospitality and service economy, including sustainable transformation, finance, food and beverage management, as well as real estate and consulting.

The school recently struck a partnership with Cartier, the luxury jewellery and watchmaker, to incorporate the principles of luxury marketing, finance and operations into the curriculum. EHL says this partnership has driven a 31 percent year-on-year increase in applications to the CHF 39,500 Master in Hospitality Management to date.

However, the school says that many hospitality skills are transferable and can open up careers in a wide range of industries. “It’s crucial to remember that sectors beyond hospitality hire our graduates,” says Achim Schmitt, dean of EHL.

Many specialised management programmes offer flexibility in course selection, allowing students to tailor their education to align with their career goals and interests. Students enrolled on the €30,000, full-time Master’s Programme in International Design Business Management at Aalto University in Finland can take classes in entrepreneurship.

“Our applications are open to students from all disciplines; we have candidates from accounting and quantum computing, as well as law and fashion,” stresses Ville Eloranta, the programme’s director. “Our intake of students has increased nearly 40 percent during the last five years.”

Primarily, though, the programme teaches interdisciplinary creative teamwork – which Eloranta says is increasingly needed in the arts and design industries, due to the increasing prevalence of wicked and ill-defined problems generated by sustainability issues, geopolitical tensions and rapidly developing new technologies, such as generative AI.

As the demand for specialised skills continues to grow, niche management degrees can offer a viable pathway for students seeking to distinguish themselves in a competitive job market.

Read more articles like this from QS Insights Magazine, Issue 16.

HKAPA Director’s Leadership Series successfully concludes

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) is honoured to have invited Mr. Tan Dun, a world-renowned conductor-composer, UNESCO Global Goodwill Ambassador and Hong Kong’s Ambassador for Cultural Promotion, to visit the Academy for a dialogue and sharing session with Academy Director Professor Gillian Choa on March 28, 2024.

 

The event titled “Director’s Leadership Series: A Dialogue with Tan Dun – Visual Music & Empty Notes”, which was held in Hong Kong Jockey Club Amphitheatre of the Academy, attracted and engaged about 400 participants in the intellectual exchange on music, arts and leadership.

UNAIR signs MoA with National Dong Hwa University Taiwan on research, mobility, and community service

Universitas Airlangga has partnered with another international university to expand its collaboration network. Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan on Friday, March 1, 2024, at the Bali Room, ASEEC Tower, Dharmawangsa B Campus, UNAIR. The MoA focuses on future collaborations, including joint classes, student exchanges, and community development initiatives, particularly for the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) and the Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline (FTMM).

The signing ceremony was attended by the Dean of the College of Science and Engineering, Prof. Wu-Yuin Hwang Ph.D., along with his team; the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), Prof. Miratul Khasanah M.Si., and her team; the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline (FTMM), Prof. Dr. Retna Apsari M.Si., and her team; as well as the Vice Director of Airlangga Global Engagement (AGE), Dr. Dina Septiani Ph.D.

“I am aware of the exceptional quality of Universitas Airlangga’s medical school. Also the Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline, which is new. I am delighted to explore opportunities for further collaboration as the prospects are indeed vast,” said Prof. Hwang.

Invitation for student exchange

Prof. Dr. Retna hoped that these discussions would pave the way for collaborations in community service, joint classes, and collaborative research endeavors. “We have five study programs: Data Science Technology, Nanotechnology Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, as well as Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Engineering. We envision potential collaborations, starting from joint classes, joint research, and community service that we can discuss further in the future,” she said.

“The joint classes facilitated by Airlangga Global Engagement are still open for consideration. If there is interest, further discussions can be arranged,” she added.

Prof. Hwang also agreed on student exchange between both universities. Moreover, CSAE already has an international program, so exchange students do not need to learn Mandarin beforehand.

“Currently, 39 Indonesian students are studying at CSAE, and regarding expenses, there is no need to worry. Because we provide scholarships, especially for excellent students,” he emphasized.

Co-supervising opportunity

The meeting also resulted in a discussion on the realization of student co-supervising between the two universities. “Considering our mutual research interests, we aspire to embark on co-supervision initiatives, especially in areas where our research intersects. Perhaps lecturers from CSAE could visit Indonesia, or our students could go to Taiwan,” concluded Prof. Dr. Retna.

Estimating Ship-hull Roughness Using Laser-based Flow Diagnostics

Biofouling refers to the accumulation of microorganisms, plants, algae, and animals on submerged surfaces, particularly in aquatic environments. In the context of ships, biofouling occurs when these organisms adhere to the hull and other submerged structures, forming a layer of marine growth. This accumulation can have significant adverse effects on a ship’s performance and efficiency. Biofouling increases drag, resulting in higher fuel consumption and operational costs. Additionally, it can reduce the vessel’s speed, maneuverability, and overall hydrodynamic efficiency.

After obtaining a small funding from the Australia-Indonesia Centre (AIC) in 2014, to get to know each other and seek the potential of joint research, Prof. I Ketut Aria Pria Utama from ITS and Prof Jason Monty together with Prof Nick Hutchins from Melbourne University decided to continue the collaboration. Acknowledging the crucial importance of energy conservation in ships and the concept of understanding the growth of boundary layer, Prof Utama, Prof Monty and Prof Hutchins together with Prof Barathram Ganapathisubramani from Southampton University UK submitted a proposal and later received a two-year funding from the Newton Fund in 2015. All of them have similar interest and strong background in fluid mechanics.

The research required a ship for experimentation, and PT. Dharma Lautan Utama, a company owned by an ITS alumnus, generously provided one. During the experiments, the ship’s bottom part was replaced with glass and subjected to laser scans to examine the growth of boundary layer. The movements of the ship were meticulously recorded. The outcomes of this research garnered attention, including coverage by Australian television and the publication of several significant papers, prompting its continuation. This part of research finally ended in 2018.

However, due to the Newton Fund’s one-time funding policy for research on the same topic, Prof. Hutchins as the team leader has seeked further support and finally secured additional funding from the Australian Research Council, covering the period from 2021 to 2025. This time, PT Samudra Indonesia provides a ship to support the research; the current ship sails even farther to the ocean hence the results will be more interesting. The involvement of PT Samudera Indonesia is (by accident) in correlation with the recent MoU between ITS and the biggest shipping companies in the country. Luckily, some of the managers involving in the project, were ITS students in naval architecture. In addition, the project includes a PhD student from Indonesia and funded by LPDP.

As in the first part, the research team has presented the work in prestigious conferences of fluid mechanics in Madrid (Spain) and Washington DC (USA) and received considerable attention because of the use of commercial vessel, which is very unlikely so far. Whilst the research is still progressing, the team is preparing to publish the work to high-ranked journal such as Nature and Physics of Fluid, and other flagship conferences.

Communication FISIP USU Organizes Another Training to Empower Women of Medan City

The Communication Science Study Program of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) again organized a dedication program. This time dedicated to empowering urban women. Led by the head of the Communication Science Study Program, Mrs. Dra. Mazdalifah M.Si., Ph.D., this dedication targeted female traditional herbal medicine (jamu) sellers, the majority of whom originate from Java and now reside in Medan City.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of Medan City, there exists a group of female jamu sellers who lead lives full of dedication. They not only strive to supplement their family incomes but also inherit family traditions in making and selling jamu, a traditional beverage rich in health benefits. The majority of them hail from Java, choosing to migrate to Medan City to improve the economic status of their families.

However, in 1998, Indonesia was hit by an economic crisis that saw a sharp increase in prices of essential commodities, including those needed to produce jamu. This posed a significant burden for the female jamu sellers, who were forced to face even greater economic difficulties. In response to this issue, Mrs. Dra. Mazdalifah M.Si., Ph.D., a communication lecturer from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at USU, was moved to assist them by providing business capital through the Medan Urban Women’s Foundation, Yayasan Perkotaan Perempuan Kota Medan (YP2M), which she leads. This collaboration not only offered financial assistance but also empowered these women economically and socially.

Every year, the female jamu sellers regularly receive business capital assistance from YP2M. Mazdalifah and her team, supported by students as field assistants, periodically meet with them. These meetings serve not only as a platform for providing assistance but also as an opportunity to strengthen their skills and knowledge. During each monthly meeting, they are given counseling on business management, health, religious education, politics, and other relevant topics.

On October 13, 2024, a series of empowerment activities were conducted by channeling business capital assistance to a group of female jamu sellers on Halat Street, Medan City. With 12 recipients in total, each received business capital assistance amounting to 2 million Indonesian Rupiah. This was done as part of a sustainable effort to support and develop their jamu businesses.

In addition to providing financial assistance, Mazdalifah also actively conducts political participation counseling for these women, considering the upcoming General Election on February 14, 2024. Through this counseling, they are given an understanding of the importance of voting wisely, understanding candidate track records, and avoiding the spread of fake news. This aims to increase their political awareness and active participation in the democratic process.

The collaboration between YP2M and the female jamu sellers has been ongoing for 24 years, and both parties are deeply grateful for this. As the chairperson of YP2M, Mazdalifah feels proud to continue accompanying them on this long jouey. Meanwhile, the female jamu sellers feel supported and motivated to continue developing their businesses to remain sustainable and independent.

With ongoing collaboration and continuous support, the hope of seeing these women develop into intelligent and independent individuals in various fields becomes increasingly achievable. This is a tangible example of how empowering urban women can create a wide-ranging positive impact on society.

#CommunicationFISIPUSU #UniversitasSumateraUtara #USU #FISIPUSU

THAIVOTE.io, a blockchain-based online election platform that can effectively prevent fraud

‘Blockchain’, an advanced data storage technology that has been reconditioned as a tool to support direct democracy. The use of ‘blockchain’ in supporting elections is considered a tendency or trend of the era. Currently, there are many countries that use it.

For Thailand, recently, a research team from Thammasat University by the Office of Business Incubation Center and Intellectual Property has invented, developed, and designed to adopt blockchain technology in election process under the project, “Online Election System Using Blockchain via THAIVOTE.io”, which has been piloted and becoming a compelling social innovation.

In terms of development, Thammasat started the “Online Election System Using Blockchain via THAIVOTE.io” back in 2017 under the budget from the Department of Physical Education. It later has been progressively improved and officially piloted for actual usage in the ‘Surat Thani Public Health Saving and Credit Cooperative Committee’ 2019 election.

Thammasat has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Surat Thani Public Health Saving and Credit Cooperative Limited to organize elections of the chairperson of the committee, committee, and auditors through the first blockchain-based online election system which is continuously adopted every year.

“With the largeness in size of the province having nearly 30 polling stations scattered around with some on islands, this projects difficulties and huge budget on management and organizing elections each year, and that some members of the cooperative are medical personnel who were unable to vote at the polling station in time. Cooperative executives therefore, collaborate with Thammasat University to develop a blockchain-based online voting system that cooperative members can use to vote conveniently. The vote counting is accurate, fast and reliable,” said Prof. Dr. Anat Limakdet, Director of the Center of Intellectual Property and Business Incubation and a member of the research team mentioned about spatial limitations in the past.

Prof. Dr. Anant went on to say that the THAIVOTE.io election system is an innovation that is distinctive to conventional electronic election systems, which is mostly centralized. This may lead to doubts on safety and transparency. The system may be hacked and targeted by outside parties, and system administrator or central administration may access the voting database which can cause distortion in the election results.

However, the election system is blockchain-based. The data is therefore encrypted and stored in a distributed database on a public blockchain. Data stored in each node once accepted by the network cannot be altered which makes the data to be highly secured and reliable. The distributed data storage on blockchain does not require a middleman.

“Blockchain-based elections will help reduce the problem of hacking occurred on the election system which consequently prevent interference in election results, including confidentiality of voters’ profile and voting information thus, helps eliminate issues of delays and errors in vote counting, increase convenience and save costs for both the election organizing agency and the voters,” explained Prof. Dr. Anant.

The success leads to the expansion of application to other elections. In the past, Thammasat has organized online elections through THAIVOTE.io for various savings cooperative groups such as Surat Thani Public Health Saving and Credit Cooperatives Limited, Ministry of Justice Saving and Credit Cooperative Limited, the Communications Authority of Thailand Saving and Credit Cooperative and The Saving co-operatives limited of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives.

To the extent of the election process, it is all controlled through a program on the blockchain which has predetermined information on voters, candidates, start and end times of the election. When voting day arrives, the system will function automatically and eligible people can use their smartphones or notebooks to vote through the website. Each individual can verify their identities prior to voting in various ways, such as using a pre-set-up password or confirming with an OTP from your registered phone number, including identity verification with ID card and facial recognition. When election time ends, the system automatically shuts down. Once the information stored on the blockchain is complete, results can be announced in less than 15 minutes.

The “Online Election System on Blockchain via THAIVOTE.io” project is considered a social innovation of Thailand. Recently, it just won an honorable mention award from the Democratic Innovation Contest 2023 of the Secretariat of the House of Representatives.

UiTM Organizes Skill-Based Certified Workshop in Enhancing Graduate Employability

The current demand for company priorities and jobs requirements has shifted substantially. In today’s challenging economic conditions, new graduates must possess both academic knowledge and essential soft skills to succeed in the labor market. There are increasing requirements. and most businesses value fresh graduates who have great interpersonal abilities as well as other soft skills. Besides, when it comes to career opportunities in Malaysia, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) constitute 98.5% of all businesses operate in a variety of industries. This includes commerce, manufacturing, construction, oil and gas, and many more. The present legislation, the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994, do not require a person in charge of safety and health officer (SHO) for organizations with more than 500 employees, or 100 people in certain high-risk industries. However, workplace Accidents and incidents are increasing in small and medium-sized enterprises.

As a result, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) in Malaysia implemented a proactive approach by introducing the Occupational Safety Health-Coordinator (OSH-C) competency to support SMEs’ capability development in the areas of occupational safety and health. This can be apparent from the OSHA (Amendment) 2022, stipulated in Section 29A (1), which mandates any employer with five or more employees to appoint an OSH-C to coordinate occupational safety and health issues at work. Indeed, to become a SHO, it is not necessary to have OSH-C certification, but it is advantageous to have the certification because it conveys basic knowledge. The fundamental knowledge of OSH-C will be easier for those who are interested in becoming SHOs. Roles for the OSH-C is to assist employers in coordinating OSH legislation and OSH programs in the place of work. According to this demand, the OSH-C must satisfy each SME.

Recognizing the significance of this, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) took the initiative to organize a training program based on competency abilities for OSH-C. Through the KPT-CAP 2.0 grant, the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, has sponsored this program and implemented it through the OSH-C training course. From March 2nd to the 8th of 2024, organized at the Dewan Anjung Pepatih, UiTM Cawangan Negeri Sembilan, Kampus Kuala Pilah has successfully hosted this seven-day course. Utechtium Sdn. Bhd. provided the training with certified trainers. A total of 30 public university alumni from diverse backgrounds attended the training. The training resulted in 30 participants obtaining a Certificate of Occupational Safety and Health Department Recognition from DOSH. The seven-day program includes ten occupational health and safety modules as well as three holistic success modules (HSM), encompassing the UiTM Intellectual Properties (IP) module.

The two modules provided the participants with a balanced exposure to both holistic and occupational safety and health skills. This aligns with the development of human capital as an OSH-C who fits the standards of today’s company. The OSH module employed during training meets the DOSH Malaysia criteria. Furthermore, prior studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the HSM. The certification obtained by participants is strongly believed to help the graduates’ employability. The coupling of these two modules aims to enhance the participants’ soft skills and interpersonal abilities. This program aligns with the Quality Education Strategic Thrusts in UiTM’s Strategic Plan 2021-2025 and contributes toward achieving the Globally Renowned, Locally Rooted by 2025 goals. The participants have the potential to become OSH-C in the future, capable of implementing routine and best practices in safety and health within their workplace.

Chulalongkorn Students Host 15th EU in Thailand National Inter-Varsity Debating Championship

The Chulalongkorn University Debating Society supervised by the Office of Student Affairs Chulalongkorn University hosted the 15th EU in Thailand National Inter-Varsity Debating Championship on January 27 – 30, 2024, at Chulalongkorn University Secondary Demonstration School. The championship round and award ceremony were held on January 30, 2024, at Room 307, Pinit Prachanat Building, Faculty of Law, Chulalongkorn University, and was presided over by Asst. Prof. Dr. Chaiyaporn Puprasert, Vice President for Student Affairs. Recipients of awards are as follow:

Chula 1 and Chula 3 reached the University Semifinalists round. For Chula 1 consisted of Miss Torpad Payungtham, Mr. Aaron Luke Reyes Nuqui, and Mr. Bunyapiwat Somboonsap. Moreover, Chula 3 consisted of Mr. Jirayu Leesuwattanakul, Miss Natamon Umbhindhu, and Miss Phornwarat Komolrojanaphorn.

Chula 2 was the runner-up in the Novice University Grand Finalists round. The team consisted of Miss Thiya Rungruang, Mr. Apichak Tantirassami, and Miss Meenwadee Wassasiri.

Miss Natamon Umbhindhu placed 8th for Best Reply Speaker.

Mr. Jirayu Leesuwattanakul placed 9th for Best University Speaker.

Mr. Aaron Luke Reyes Nuqui placed 6th for Best University Speaker.

Miss Phornwarat Komolrojanaphorn placed 2nd for Best University Speaker.

Miss Phornwarat Komolrojanaphorn placed 9th for Overall Best Speaker.

Miss Pantari Rattanasampan placed 7th for Best Adjudicator.

The 15th EU in Thailand National Inter-Varsity Debating Championship was organized with Mr. Chanakan Wittayasakpan, graduate student at Chulalongkorn’s Faculty of Arts, Mr. Chayathorn Sapchawaroj, graduate student at the Faculty of Economics, and Miss Nattaya Jaruwekin, graduate of Chulalongkorn Business School, as the leaders of the project. The competition aims to promote English debate among Chulalongkorn students and students all over Thailand, to allow those interested to compete, to exchange knowledge and experience, and to bolster Chulalongkorn University’s reputation and role in the national debate circle.

The English debate competition is held in 4 categories, namely University, Novice University, High School, and Novice High School, as well as a competition for the adjudicators. 52 teams, comprising 156 debaters and 60 judges, participated in this year’s competition. The themes for the debate involve political, economic, and social issues related to the European Union, e.g., media presentation about refugees, international trade, and the power of the European Union on the global stage. The topics are not revealed to the debaters in advance. In each round, the debaters have 30 minutes to prepare once the topic is announced.

As head of the event, Chanakan Wittayasakpan said that apart from the Chulalongkorn students who competed as debaters and judges, there are 25 other students working as coordinators. What students gained from organizing this English debate competition is awareness of social, economic, environmental, and ethical issues around the world and problem-solving skills through debates. They also developed their English communication skills, logical persuasive speech, and teamwork, as well as built networks and positive relationships with participants from educational institutions around the country. The experience gained from organizing the event, including communication and leadership, can be applied to their future endeavors.

For the full release and more images, please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/152124/

National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» joins the 3SI Scientific and Educational Platform

Four leading Ukrainian higher education institutions, including the National Technical University «KhPI», signed a Memorandum on the creation of the Scientific and Educational Platform «Three Seas Initiative – Ukraine». The event took place at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ukraine (Kyiv). It is expected that cooperation in the implementation of the agreement will contribute to the intensification of research and development, start-up movement, as well as the involvement of other universities, research institutes, business structures, etc. In this way, additional preconditions will be created for Ukraine’s accelerated integration into the European Union.

The Memorandum of Cooperation in Scientific and Educational Activities «3SI» defines four higher education institutions of Ukraine as partners: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (Rector Volodymyr Bugrov); Lviv Polytechnic National University (Rector Yurii Bobalo); National University «Odesa Maritime Academy» (Rector Mykhaylo Miyusov); National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» (Rector Yevgen Sokol). A party to the Memorandum was also the Three Seas Initiative – Ukraine Public Platform (President Andriy Smorodin). Through the creation and development of the Three Seas Initiative – Ukraine Scientific and Educational Platform, the Ukrainian scientific school will be able to integrate into the interstate «3SI» (Three Seas Initiative). The purpose of the association is to intensify of research and development, start-up movement, and involvement of other higher education institutions, research institutes, business structures, etc. In this way, additional prerequisites will be created for Ukraine’s accelerated integration into the European Union, and the strategic role of «3SI» in globalisation processes will be increased through cooperation with Ukraine.

In his speech, professor Yevgen Sokol, Rector of NTU «KhPI», spoke about the successful implementation of the DSG:2 double diploma programme. This project has been implemented since 2022 by the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» and the Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg (OVGU) (Germany). The programme allows Ukrainian applicants who are refugees in Germany to enter NTU «KhPI» and OVGU simultaneously, and after good studies, receive two diplomas: of the Ukrainian and German partner universities. Yevgen Sokol noted that today Kharkiv Polytechnic is the only Ukrainian university which offers applicants to enter the 1st year of bachelor’s degree programme in the specialities agreed upon by the joint programme with OVGU. According to rector Yevgen Sokol, Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute has a lot to offer to the «Three Seas Initiative – Ukraine» Scientific and Educational Platform in the field of energy, railway transport, electromagnetic compatibility, lightning protection, etc.

Fifteen Ukrainian universities have already responded to the call to support this association. This was announced by Hryhorii Mozolevych, Director General of the Directorate for Science Development at the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. He clarified that the ideas and projects submitted by the universities include topical issues that Ukraine is currently facing, in addition to security, such as economic acceleration. «On the other hand, given the current difficult demographic situation, it will be important to create opportunities for Ukrainian scientists to work on international projects while staying in Ukraine,» said Hryhorii Mozolevych.

Andrii Smorodin, President of the «Three Seas Initiative – Ukraine» Public Platform, sees science as the way to Ukraine’s real European integration: «We want to be leaders in the «3SI» at least at the level of education and science».

The platform for signing the Memorandum on the creation of the Scientific and Educational Platform «Three Seas Initiative – Ukraine» was provided by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, which is the driving force of the «3SI». The international event was attended by representatives of Latvia and Lithuania, member countries of the «Three Seas Initiative». The discussion was joined by representatives of the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, as well as Ukrainian people’s deputies, scientists, industry and international experts, and businessmen. The scientific and educational platform will be presented at the next «3SI» Summit and Business Forum to be held in Vilnius on 11 April 2024.

Note:

«The Three Seas Initiative» (3SI) is an international economic and infrastructure initiative that brings together 13 European Union countries located near the Baltic, Black and Adriatic Seas. At the end of 2023, Ukraine became an associate member of the «Three Seas Initiative». Within the framework of the Initiative, member countries supported Ukraine’s efforts to join the EU.

Based on the materials: https://knu.ua/news/13146

Photos: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Communications Centre