A delegation from the Department of Human and Community Resource Development (HCRD)-Faculty of Education and Development Sciences of the Kasetsart University (KU)-Kamphaeng Saen Campus, led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Varaporn Yamtim, deputy dean for Research and Academic Service, visits SEARCA.
A delegation from the Department of Human and Community Resource Development (HCRD)-Faculty of Education and Development Sciences of the Kasetsart University (KU)-Kamphaeng Saen Campus, led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Varaporn Yamtim, deputy dean for Research and Academic Service, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 19 October 2023 to explore scholarships, grants, and capacity-building opportunities for their faculty and students. She was joined by KU-Kamphaeng Saen Campus faculty members, Asst. Prof. Dr. Issaree Supnui, Asst. Prof. Dr. Supharuk Aticomsuwan, Assoc Prof. Dr. Sunti Srisuantang, and Ms. Orawan Boontu.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Aticomsuwan presents the background and study plans of KU-Kamphaeng Saen's PhD and MA programs in HCRD.During the meeting, the visitors were given an overview of the Center's thrusts, programs, and offerings. Asst. Prof. Dr. Aticomsuwan presented the background and study plans of KU-Kamphaeng Saen's PhD and MA programs in HCRD. She highlighted the programs' objective to produce competitive graduates who can serve Thailand through research, academic development, and services in education, economy, and society. "Our programs aim to build a collaborative network of organizations with a shared goal of advancing education and development sciences," she added.
Dr. Aticomsuwan also showcased the instructional support facilities of the campus, such as the HCRD social lab and the experimental farm for undergraduate students.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Supnui expresses KU-Kamphaeng Saen’s interest in involving their faculty and students in SEARCA's programs.
At the end of the presentation, Asst. Prof. Dr. Supnui expressed KU-Kamphaeng Saen's interest in involving their faculty and students in SEARCA's short- and long-term grants and capacity-building programs.
Dr. Maria Cristeta Cuaresma, senior program head, Education and Collective Learning, informed the group of several Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) offerings that their faculty and students can avail of as KU is a consortium member. These include faculty travel grants for research and conference and seminar and student travel grants. She also shared with them Center-led grants, such as the SEARCA Travel Grants Program (STGP) and SEARCA Faculty and Student Mobility Grant. In addition, she pushed the delegation to encourage their faculty and students to apply as SEARCA scholars. At present, four SEARCA scholars are studying at the KU-Kamphaeng Saen.
Atty. Eric Reynoso, program head, Emerging Innovation for Growth, introduced the Grants for Research towards Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS). GRAINS provides starter funds to researchers, scientists, inventors, and agripreneurs to scale up their technology or innovation model.
Dr. Cuaresma also mentioned the approaching deadline for the Seed Fund for Research and Training (SFRT) on 31 October 2023. Like GRAINS, SFRT provides starter funds to researchers and scientists who can contribute significantly to Southeast Asian agriculture but lack the funding to carry out their projects.
With regard to trainings, Asst. Prof. Dr. Supnui discussed KU-Kamphaeng Saen's expertise in mushroom production and hydroponics. She suggested that SEARCA conduct some of its capacity-building initiatives on their campus. Having visited KU-Kamphaeng Saen's experiment farm, Dr. Cuaresma agreed to explore this idea in the future.
The visitors were received by Assoc. Prof. Joselito Florendo, deputy director for administration; Dr. Cuaresma; Atty. Reynoso; Ms. Corinta Guerta, technical advisor to the director; Ms. Sharon Malaiba, unit head, Partnerships; Ms. Paula Grace Muyco, program specialist, Graduate Scholarship and Institutional Development Unit; and Partnerships Unit staff. They were also given a tour of the SEARCA Hub for Agriculture and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING).
The visitors tour the SEARCA Hub for Agriculture and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING).