MOU WITH KWASSUI WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY, JAPAN

On August 29 MSU Vice president for Planning and International Relations and representatives of MSU Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences had the pleasure of welcoming delegates from Kwassui Women’s University Japan to discuss technical arrangements of an MOU between the two institutions.

Kwassui Women’s University is located in Nagasaki and, among others, has faculties in common with MSU in Humanities and Social Sciences, Music as well as a newly created Faculty of Nursing (2009). Kwassui Women’s University also provides a Japanese learning program for international students through its International Student Exchange Center.

Pic from photo album of  Kwassui Women's University, Japan 

The MOU student exchange agreement will facilitate opportunities for MSU students to study in Japan while at the same time availing Japanese students from Kwassui Women’s University opportunities to study here in Mahasarakham. It will also enable mutual cooperations on future projects.

Click here for more information about Kwassui Women’s University (in Japanese).

COMPETITION AT MSU SWIMMING COMPLEX

On August 27 a swimming competition was held at the MSU swimming complex in association with the National Swimming Federation of Thailand.

Completed just over twelve months ago the MSU swimming complex is a modern facility capable of hosting international standard swimming competitions.

This event brought together over seven hundred swimmers and officials representing thirty four swimming clubs from the northeast of Thailand. It was held as selection trials to pick a team to represent northeastern Thailand at the Universities of Thailand swimming championships. The event was also held to teach and promote water around swimming pools.

MSU President Dr. Supachai Samappito and Vice President for Special Affairs Dr. Suracha Amonpan attended to support the swimmers and present medals to the winners.

MSU ORGANISING REGIONAL SEMINARS ON ANCIENT DOCUMENTS

On August 27 MSU President Dr. Supachai Samappito attended the opening of a seminar which hopefully will pave the way for future networks and regional seminars on the conservation of ancient documents from the Isan area. Over a hundred academics and interested people were in attendance at the conference room in the Faculty of Engineering.

It is not well known internationally there are many ancient documents in northeastern Thailand. These documents are commonly called palm leaf manuscripts and, although they do not look as such, have been written on palm leaves in ancient text. Mostly these ancient texts were written by monks and kept in monasteries.

Mahasarakham University Northeastern Leaf Inscription Conservation Center is a research institute located in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Here are stored valuable palm leaf manuscripts which are going through the slow process of transliteration and transference to digital format.

There are a huge number of palm leaf manuscripts which have not been translated and therefore the modern world is unaware of the knowledge they contain. They may date back as far as the fourteenth century and besides containing information concerned with Buddhist teachings may also contain information about the history behind the many ancient  sites dotted all over the Isan area. Scholars would agree verbal knowledge passed down becomes unreliable after a century or so. Who knows what secrets these ancient palm leaf manuscripts may reveal? It is also excitingly unknown how many have yet to be discovered.

MSU project specialist from the Palm Leaf Inscription and Conservation Center, Associate Professor Dr. Weenah Weespan, spoke at the seminar which discussed ways in which these precious artefacts can best be conserved, transliterated, archived, managed and studied. Those interested can click here to see a brochure (in Thai and English) giving more information about the work of the MSU Northeastern Leaf-inscription Conservation Center.

MSU WELCOMES MOU WITH HUE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

On August 21, Associate Professor Dr. Ngo Dac Chung and five other representatives of Hue University College of Education were warmly welcomed by MSU Vice President for International Relations and Planning Dr. Nathanon Trachoo for the signing of an MOU between the two educational institutions.

The MOU paves the way for exchange students from both institutions to participate in various programs run by each of the Universities. Among other programs, MSU students will be able to visit Hue University under the Overseas Experience Program and Hue University students will be able to apply to study at MSU under MSU Inbound Internship Program.

Hue University has a long and proud history being established in 1957 and is recognised as a leading and prestigious training and research institution in Vietnam. Historically, the city of Hue, located six hundred and sixty kilometres south of Hanoi, has been noted as a centre for training talented and gifted people for more than two centuries. 

Vietnamese students currently studying at MSU and students from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences were also attended the ceremony and gave the honoured guests a warm welcome. MSU students and others interested in investigating more about Hue University can click here.

THREE DAY MSU SCIENCE FAIR ASTRONOMICALLY SUCCESSFUL

MSU Faculty of Science held its annual three day Science Fair from August 17- 19. The Science Fair gives students a bit of a break after having completed their mid-term exams and also to let them create exhibits to showcase some of their work to the general public and other students.

Many students from surrounding primary and secondary schools come to MSU to visit the Science Fair and have a lot of fun. The students also got to visit the MSU Natural Medicinal Mushroom Museum and this year also had the bonus of seeing the Jewels of the Sea exhibition before it moves on to Chiang Mai later this year.

There were many exhibits of interest to people of all ages and the students manning the exhibitions were always very helpful and patient explaining their exhibits to anybody stopping to look.

A poster competition, mathematics school, solar power, large telescopes, glass blowing, chemistry demonstrations, physics demonstrations, recycling products, mushroom and silk products developed from MSU, robotics, were among some of the too many to mention exhibits.

So many of the demonstrations would have prompted the question; ’Why Is It So?’ from people visiting the fair. The Faculty of Science and their students are to be congratulated on putting on such an interesting and exciting Science Fair, especially for their willingness and ability to answer why it IS so.

If you want to see more pictures from the Science Fair please click here.

POST FROM MSU BUSINESS SCHOOL

It is wonderful to see members of MSU Faculties reading this blog. It is even more wonderful to see this first ever faculty contribution to our blog. Below is a post from the Mahasarakham University Business School (Faculty of Accountancy and Management). We are hoping other MSU faculties will take up the challenge to send us posts about news from their faculty so we can share it in the blogoshere.

On Thursday, July 21^st 2554 Mahasarakham Business School held a yearly ceremony to gratitude the teachers and providing scholarships to outstanding students in academic year 2554 at the university’s sport building.

The objective of the event is to let students to respect and gratitude teachers whom have endowed their knowledge and have equipped them with talents. Also, to encourage the students in all program to successfully achieve their goals throughout their four years of education. Additionally, it is also to inherit and maintain the faculty’s valuable ceremony and promoting ethical behavior and gratitude to the students.

GOODWILL VISIT TO MSU BY UNITED STATES EMBASSY OFFCIALS

On August 11 MSU President Dr. Supachai Samappito welcomed Mr. Jose Collazo and representatives of the Embassy of the United States of America in Bangkok who paid a goodwill visit and gave a presentation to students on American Culture and Society.

Organised through the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences the goodwill visit was to provide information on mutual cultural exchanges as well as to give MSU students a greater understanding of modern American society and culture. Most Thai student’s knowledge of American culture is gained from watching Hollywood movies or music videos which provides a very different perspective from perhaps the true American society and cultural values.

A large audience of students, teachers and other interested people were in attendance for Mr Collazo’s presentation giving an indication of how popular the idea of travelling to visit or study in the United States is with MSU students.

In the afternoon the delegation visited some of the MSU Faculties including Humanities and Social Sciences, Politics and Governance and Accounting and Management.

MSU HOSTS 7TH NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITION

On August 8 MSU hosted the 7^th Annual National Agricultural Conference and Exhibition in co-operation with the National Department of Agriculture.

The exhibition held in conjunction with the conference was in honour of HM King Bhumibol who in the past has been closely involved in the creation of many valuable agricultural projects in Thailand.

In his address to the conference Assistant Professor  Dr.Rampai Kaensakoo, Dean of MSU Faculty of Technology, paid tribute to HM King Bhumibol as the King of Agriculture, who through his development of the sufficiency economy philosophy and patronage of many agricultural projects has seen Thailand develop into a country which can readily compete on the world agricultural stage. He also  noted how it was an honour for Mahasarakham University to host the conference this year as it is the twenty fifth anniversary of MSU’s Faculty of Technology.

More than fifty presentations, special lectures and academic discussion sessions were held during the course of the conference. Two of the objectives of the conference were for promotion and dissemination of scholarly works in agriculture resulting from research done by educational institutions across Thailand and the strengthening of networking ties between these institutions.

Delegates also took tours and excursions to visit and meet farmers involved in agriculture in the northeast.

MSU SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERATION OF THAI INDUSTRIES

On August 6 MSU President Dr. Supachai Samappito signed an in important agreement with the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). The FTI is a group of private Thai companies which promotes and develops Thai industries at a local and international level as well as linking Thai industries with overseas organisations. The FTI also works with the Thai government on policy planning and development for industry.

The MOU is significant in that it is one of co-operation between MSU and the FTI in education and research, especially within the north east of Thailand. The agreement will enable MSU students to work within FTI industries gaining valuable experience both nationally and internationally.

The MOU will incorporate research industrial economic and social development towards gaining future access to the ASEAN Economic Community.

Representatives of the FTI in north eastern Thailand, Mahasarakham Rajabat University and the Office of the Economic and Social Development Board attended and participated in a tree planting ceremony in honour of the eighty-fourth birthday of HM King Bhumibol as well as to signify the long term intentions of the agreement.

MSU CHORUS PERFORMS AT ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC

On August 7 students from the MSU College of Music performed at the Royal College of Music in Bangkok. The one hundred and twenty strong MSU Chorus brought the house down with their animated Esan chorus performance, accompanied by a single piano.

Not surprisingly, instead of the usual choral performance where the choir simply ‘stands and delivers’ the ensemble introduced animation and elements of traditional Esan dance into the medley. One feels it would be almost impossible to create the performance in any other way. Esan people love to sing and when they sing they must dance.

"Raising the flag, yellow-gray soils together with my loyal yet. Becoming eternal love” are some of the words contained in the medley. The love of Thailand, the yellow grey soils of the Esan landscape and for their fellow Esan people are amply illustrated in these few words and were brought to life in the performance.

Any person familiar with the northeast of Thailand would instantly be able to identify with the passion and feelings expressed in the performance. Writing teacher and coach Dr. Sayan Pachar’m and the MSU Chorus are to be congratulated on their hard work and commitment in the creation of such a fine performance.

It is strongly suggested you gather some friends around your computer, click on the video link, turn up the volume and enjoy the performance

Click here to see pictures

Click here to see the video

 Pictures and video courtesy Cokefresh ตากล้องป๊อกแป๊ก

Anybody  wishing to provide more information can do by making a comment on this post. It will be edited into the main post.

MOU TALKS WITH UNIVERSITY OF DANANG

On August 3 MSU Vice President for Planning and International Relations Dr. Nathanon Trachoo welcomed representatives from the University of Danang in Vietnam for discussions on the signing of an MOU.

The discussions concentrated on future technical co-operations between the Danang College of Technology and MSU Faculty of Engineering. The agreement will include exchange of students for internships and mutual research projects, holding alternate international symposiums and providing programs of mutual benefit to both academic institutions

FACULTY OF TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS AT MSU AGRICULTURAL FARM

On August 3 over 300 students from the MSU Faculty of Technology were introduced to the Mahasarakham University Royal Agricultural Center.

Situated eleven kilometres from the main campus in nearby Kantarawichai the agricultural center contains over a thousand acres of land set aside for agricultural research and development emanating from MSU faculty of Technology.

The students were shown existing income generating operations which include dairy cattle and products, livestock breeding, pig farming and egg production.

The MOU farm as it is commonly known is being developing for use as a national youth educational training facility. 

MSU PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL DRAWS TO AN END

On July 30 the closing ceremony of the current MSU Premier League football season was held. The competition was run from August last year and was completed in July 2011 with eighteen teams representing MSU faculties competing.

MSU Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Sujin Butdisuwan gave the address and President Dr. Supachai Samappito presented certificates and awards. 

Awards were presented to the Faculty of Education and College of Politics and Governance with honourable mentions going to the Faculties of Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences and Nursing.

Earlier in the day MSU President Dr. Supachai swapped his gown for goalkeeping garb when he led his VIP invitation team in an exhibition match against another VIP team led by the Deputy Governor of Maha Sarakham Province. The game finished in a 2 all draw.

3RD YEAR MSU NURSES PRESENTED WITH WHITE HATS

On July 28 the Dean of MSU Faculty of Nursing Associate Professor Dr. Darunee  Rujkorakarn presided over a ceremony in which the traditional white nurses hat was presented to over one hundred third year graduate nursing students.

The official presentation of the white hat, a symbol of the nursing profession recognisable word wide, gives the nurses involved an opportunity to reflect on the valuable place in society of their profession. The white hat of the nursing profession can only be worn by those qualified and represents a commitment to professionally and ethically carry out their duties of responsibility for the well being and quality of life of  patients in their care.

The graduate nurses will now begin the serious business of converting what they have learned over the previous three years into practical application when they shortly start work in hospitals.

Friends and invited guests joined the ceremony where senior nurses pinned the new hats to the heads of the graduates for the first time.

MSU MOURNS PASSING OF PRINCESS BEJARATANA RAJUSADA

All Thailand is mourning the passing of Her Royal Highness Princess Bejaratana Rajusada who passed away aged 85 on July 27. She was first cousin to King Bhumibol Adulyadej and  the only child of King Rama VI.

From 1957, after moving back to Thailand from England where she received her education, Princess Bejaratana devoted the rest of her life to the Thai people representing the Royal Family undertaking duties of her special interests in public welfare, education, public health, Buddhism and border police and soldiers.

If you are living in Thailand you may have noticed the Thai national flag flying at half mast and many people wearing black. This is in honour of the Princess.

All government offices have declared a fifteen day mourning period. Many Thai people will wear black for this fifteen day period. Shrines have been set up across the country where people may pay their respects and leave a short note of condolence.

MSU students may pay their respects and sign the book on the ground floor of the Presidents building.