On 25 - 30 July 2015, Professor Noranit Setabutr, Chairman of Thammasat University Council, Prof. Dr. Somkit Lertpaithoon, Rector of Thammasat University together with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Preecha Wanichsetakul, Dean of Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Assoc. Prof. Prakitpan Thomthitchong, Assistant Dean for International Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Prapat Wangskarn, Dean of Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University, visited Brazil by the Royal Thai Embassy's invitation to strengthen educational cooperation between Thai and Brazilian institutions.

 

            During the visit, the Thai delegation had several meetings with various Executives of three Brazilian universities, namely Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), University of Brasilia (UnB) and University of Sao Paulo (USP). The meetings were aimed to promote educational cooperation as well as exchanges of professors and students, especially in fields of medicine and engineering, between Thammasat University and the Brazilian universities. Prof. Ivan Marques de Toledo Camargo, Rector of UnB, Prof. Marco Antônio Zago, Rector of USP, Prof. Raul Machado, President of International Agency of USP, Mr. Jose Otavio Costa Auler Júnior, Dean of Faculty of Medicine of USP as well as of Mr. Vitor Alevato do Amaral Head of International Relations Secretariat of UFRJ each expressed interest in having closer cooperation and contact with Thammasat University.

During the visit to UnB, the rectors of Thammasat University and UnB signed a statement emphasizing the commitment to pursue and concretize educational cooperation as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two rectors last year. In addition, the Rector of Thammasat University offered scholarships to students of UnB and USP to further their studies in Thailand.

 

            The visit to Brazil of the high-level executives from Thammasat University not only helped strengthening the network of educational cooperation and exchanges of professors and students, but also represented significant progress of education diplomacy between Thailand and Brazil.