On the morning of September 8, a delegation led by Kanit Kheovichai, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat University (ARU) and Chusit Pradabpet, President of ARU, visited Chengdu University (CDU). Both Wang Qingyuan, President of CDU, and Peng Xiaolin, Vice President of CDU, cordially met with the guests at the Reception Hall 1002 of the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts. Both sides had a friendly talk on the comprehensive cooperation between CDU and ARU and the application for the joint establishment of a Confucius Institute.
President Wang extended his warm welcome to the guests and introduced to them the history, vision, and its integration and implementation of the talent strategy, characteristics strategy, internationalization strategy, and digital strategy in recent years. As a city university, CDU has made remarkable progress in international university prestigious rankings, the Nature Index, and highly cited papers, becoming one of the fastest-growing universities in China. He pointed out that CDU emphasizes exchanges and collaboration with Thailand, and is the first university in Sichuan Province to offer a Thai language major and establish the Sichuan Provincial Research Institute of Thai Studies that is recognized as a Record Center for Area Studies, Chinese Ministry of Education. He mentioned that Thailand is an important source for CDU’s international students, and also a crucial partner of CDU in transnational/cross-border combined undergraduate and graduate joint programs, scientific research cooperation, global teacher-student exchange programs and cross-cultural learning experience. He added that CDU especially focuses on international Chinese language education and civilization appreciation, and hoped that the cooperation between the two universities in establishing Confucius Institute would bring more opportunities for cultural exchanges and academic visits for faculty and students.
Kanit Kheovichai expressed his gratitude for the warm reception of CDU and introduced in detail the history of ARU and its discipline development. He pointed out that ARU is one of the oldest universities and the only one located within a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in Thailand, with seven colleges and the Ayutthaya Studies Institute. Centuries of prosperity and glory have left precious ancient sites in Ayutthaya, which also led to its success in being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991. He said that ARU values greatly the cooperation with CDU, and is fully prepared for the establishment of the Confucius Institute. He hoped that the two universities would carry out in-depth cooperation and exchanges in teaching and research, talent cultivation, and mutual understanding of civilizations.
President Wang and Chusit Pradabpet signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat University and CDU. According to the MoU, the comprehensive cooperation between the two universities in scientific research, academic programs, and international mobility of faculty and students was officially launched.
After the meeting, the guests visited the Welcome Center of the Athletes' Village for the 31st FISU Summer World University Games, Sichuan Provincial Research Institute of Thai Studies, the Research Institute of Tianfu Culture, and the Center for Mutual Learning of Civilizations and Belt and Road Research at CDU. The strategic adviser for foreign affairs, Assistant to the President, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Head of the Chinese Department of ARU participated in the visit. Relevant leaders from the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, College of Literature and Journalism, School of Fine Arts and Design, International Department of the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts, and College of Foreign Languages and Cultures at CDU attended the meeting.
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Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat University (ARU) is a comprehensive public university in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thailand, founded in 1905, and is among the oldest universities in Thailand. In 1995, the university received the esteemed "Rajabhat" title conferred by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and, in the same year, was honored by the King as the “Most Outstanding University” of the Thai Ministry of Education.
