WACE ISO@SUT PLANNING INSTITUTE CONFIRMS SUT AS A LEADER IN THE WORLD’S CWIE

In celebration of its 25th Anniversary, Suranaree University of Technology (SUT), in collaboration with Thai Association for Cooperative Education (TACE), World Association for Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education (WACE), and WACE-ISO@SUT organised the Planning Institute for High Impact Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education (CWIE) from December 1st to 4th, 2015 in Phuket, Thailand.

Professor Dr Prasart Suebka, SUT Rector, the host of this Planning Institute, warmly welcomed 32 participants from 6 countries; namely, Australia, Japan, Namibia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Thailand to this three-day, full immersion programme, that was organised as a part of the year-long series of activities to celebrate SUT’s 25^th Anniversary. This Planning Institute was aimed for CWIE teams of administrators, faculty, and staff who want to plan and implement a high impact cooperative and work-integrated education programme at their institutions. The five key modules in the programme were delivered through a unique combination of lectures from international expert faculty, case studies, facilitated plan development, and sustained interaction with faculty and other participants.

One key success factor of this Planning Institute was the team of international faculty members who are resourceful scholars and highly experienced practitioners in CWIE from around the world. The team included:

1) Professor Dr. Wichit Srisa-an, WACE Executive Board Member, President of Thai Association for Cooperative Education (TACE), Founding Rector of Suranaree University of Technology, and the Father of Thai Cooperative Education, the title bestowed to him by Thailand’s Ministry of Education

2) Dr Sampan Silapanad, Vice-President and Managing Director, HGST (Thailand), and WACE Co-Chair

3) Dr Paul Stonely, CEO, WACE, USA

4) Professor Dr. Rick Porter, Northeastern University, USA and WACE ISO@SUT Planning Institute Programme Director

5) Professor Dr James Stellar, Provost, University of Albany, SUNY, USA and WACE ISO@SUT Planning Institute Programme Co-Director

6) Dr Sumate Yamnoon, Former Secretary-General, Thailand’s Higher Education Commission and Vice-President, Thai Association for Cooperative Education (TACE)

7) Dr Norah McRae, Executive Director, Co-operative Education Program and Career Services, University of Victoria, Canada

8) Dr Pipat Weerathaworn, Former Vice-President, Green Chemicals Business Unit, PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited, and TACE Executive Board Member

9) Mr Shakeel Ori, Director, Cooperative Education, Durban University of Technology, South Africa and member of WACE Board of Director

10) Ms Keiko Saito, WACE Executive Board Member, President, NPO WIL, Japan, and Director of WACE Japan Office

To launch the activities in the Institute, Professor Dr Wichit Srisa-an, Chairman of SUT Council, open the first module with his keynote lecture on the topic of “Policies and Planning for CWIE to Meet New Global Challenges”, that set the frame for all the discussions and inspired all the participants to think further and more deeply about the effective CWIE planning and implementation in their contexts.

A pleasant surprise at the closing of this Planning Institute was the WACE Honorary Plaque presented to Professor Dr Prasart Suebka in recognition of SUT’s 25 years of progressive and sustainable development of CWIE in Thailand and internationally. Once again, with the success of this Planning Institute, SUT has been regarded as one of the world’s leaders in cooperative and work-integrated education.