NEW BAMBOO ECO FIBRE PROJECT AWARDED 100,000 BAHT GRANT

In October last year applications were called for product projects developed within faculties at MSU to apply for one of seven one hundred thousand baht grants for commercial development.

One such successful product is a range of bamboo textile fabrics developed by a team from the new Faculty of Culture (previously the North Eastern Institute of Art and Culture).

Project team leader and physicist Assistant Professor Ms Sisika Wanchan and her team including Ms Charanya Chanlakon, Mrs Pradit THongbeau and Mrs Chusri Takiangrum have developed commercially viable bamboo fibre textile products. 

The team has been awarded one of the hundred thousand baht grants to market the Bamboo Fibre Health Care Fabric products with the assistance of the MSU Business Incubation Centre.

The bamboo eco-fibre has been passed by the Japanese Textile Inspection Association. Benefits of this fibre includes non-static charge properties, it absorbs infra red light which is released to stimulate circulation and metabolism, it contains micro gaps which keeps the wearer cool and comfortable in hot weather and also acts as an insulator in cold weather.

The bamboo fibre products are allergy free as the complete production process uses no pesticides or toxic chemicals. Products include blankets, pillows, shawls and textile by the metre.

MSU VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS & RESEARCH DR. PREECHA PRATHEPA GRANTED FULL PROFESSORSHIP

On January 24 MSU President Dr. Supachai Samappito had the pleasure of congratulating MSU Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research Professor Dr. Dr. Preecha Prathepha on attaining the status of full professor.

Dr. Preecha was appointed a full professor in genetics in the field of Biotechnology. The announcement was officially published by the Prime Minister in the Government Gazette on January 11. Only four other civil servants were appointed professors of higher educational institutions in the announcement. Besides being Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Preecha is now a full professor in the field of genetics, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology at MSU.

Professor Dr. Preecha is to be congratulated on his dedication and hard work in achieving his professorship. He provides a fine example to current and future students of Mahasarakham University.

Dr. Supachai and the full executive committee of Mahasarakham University were on hand to heartily congratulate Dr. Preecha in a ceremony held in the conference room of the President’s building.

CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE AT MSU CELEBRATES CHINESE NEW YEAR (OF THE DRAGON)

On January 21 MSU President Dr. Supachai Samappito attended Chinese New Year festivities at the invitation of MSU Confucius Institute Director Mr. Lin Haoye.

Chinese New Year is traditionally the most important holiday in China and marks the start of the fifteen day Spring Festival. As the Chinese calendar is lunar based, the day upon which New Year falls varies from year to year. 

This year Chinese New Year falls on January 23 and in 2013 will fall on February 10. Thai and Chinese students alike joined in the New Year celebrations for the Year of the Dragon held at the Confucius Institute Cultural Center located on the old campus in downtown Mahasarakham.

The popular Confucius Institute has now been in operation at MSU for five years, having celebrated this milestone in December. 

MSU EXHIBITION AREA PROVES POPULAR AT RED CROSS FAIR

Mahasarakham University faculties are making their presence felt at the annual Bun Boek Fa Red Cross Festival which runs until January 29.

Mahasarakham University has a large exhibition area close to the centre of the fair with many faculties exhibiting at various times during the festival as well as showing their wares or performing on the MSU stage.

Many examples of the ‘university community’ will be on show including a life size formula one type racing car,  products for sale produced as a result of MSU faculties research and development, massage for health, artistic portraits caricatures and many more.

The MSU exhibition area is always a popular site and well worth the trouble investigating. You never know what interesting things will be on display or what will be happening live on stage. One thing which can be guaranteed is there will be something at the MSU exhibition of interest to engage any member of the community, whatever their age.

The students manning the exhibitions are knowledgeable and more than happy to engage with the general public in providing explanation on their particular fields of endeavour.

Click here for more pictures

BUN BOEK FA RED CROSS FESTIVAL OPENS WITH GRAND PARADE

On January 21 MSU Vice President for Special Affairs Dr. Suracha Amompan represented Mahasarakham University at the grand parade ushering in the opening of the annual Bun Boek Fa Red Cross Festival.

The grand parade is a not to be missed event with the parade featuring participants representing a cross section of the whole Maha Sarakham community. It is held in the centre of Mahasarakham and winds its way along the road next to the canal in the very centre of town, commencing at the main stadium of Burapha School to finish at the main stage in the centre of the grounds of the Red Cross Festival.

Besides many participants from MSU in the parade, local schools, colleges, villages and organisations also provide participants in this wonderful spectacle. 

The Bun Boek Fa Red Cross Festival was officially opened by the Honourable Mr. Jeerawat Chuenwarin, Governor of Mahasarakham and attended by a plethora of special guests. 

After the grand parade and official speeches made, there was a night full of entertainment on the centre stage lasting late into the night. 

The Bun Boek Fa Festival is a festival celebrated in Mahasarakham to honour the rice goddess Mae Pho Sop and to celebrate the time between the harvesting and selling of the rice crop. It is also a festival which recognises the importance of the Red Cross and is a major fundraiser for the internationally renowned organisation.

The Bun Boek Fa Festival Red Cross Festival this year runs from January 21 until January 30.

Click here for more pictures

US CONSULAR OFFICIALS ATTEND OPENING OF AMERICAN CORNER AT MSU

On January 18 Mr. Michael Honnold, US Embassy Cultural Attache and Ms. Wendy Zaman, US Embassy American Corner Coordinator were welcomed MSU President Dr. Supachai Samappito to the new temporary home of American Corner on the ground floor of the RN Building in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

For the opening a special exhibition celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King was on show kindly supplied by the US Embassy (Bangkok).

Many students at MSU are fascinated by American culture and way of life. American Corner is a student orientated space with facilities designed for students to create their own space. In other words the students are empowered to use the space as they see fit; they are the owners of American Corner. MSU teachers and staff are on hand to give advice and provide little supervision per se.

This opening of American Corner at MSU has been classified as a ‘soft’ opening. Soft in the way it is the opening before the official opening. American Corner at the moment is a temporary space and will be moved to a new permanent home in the near future when an official opening, hopefully attended by the US Ambassador to Thailand will take place.

MSU is very grateful to the US Embassy Consular staff for their continuing interest and for making the creation of American Corner possible. The best thing about American Corner is MSU students have it as their own to create a space where students can come to learn about American culture at their own pace and on their own terms while still having the option of kindly advice from contact with US Embassy Consular staff.  

MSU TO HOST 2ND QS MASTERCLASS ON INTERNATIONALISATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION

On March 2^nd Mahasarakham University and QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) Asia will be hosting the 2nd QS Masterclass seminar on Internationalisation of Higher Education at the elite JW Marriott Hotel in Bangkok.

Three keynote speakers, Professor Yongyuth Yuthavaong, former Minister of Science and Technology (Thailand), Mandy Mok, Managing Director of QS Asia and Dr. Kevin Downing, Senior Coordinator of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance of University of Hong Kong will address the seminar. There will also be a panel discussion on the internationalisation of higher education in the afternoon.

The seminar will provide invaluable information and networking opportunities for tertiary educational institutions on sharing knowledge and in the promotion of their universities at an international level. The QS Asia organisation has an excellent reputation in assisting in the establishment of cooperative relationships between universities on a global scale.

After the success of the 1^st QS Master Class held on campus at Mahasarakham University last year which was attended in the main by Thai Universities, this 2nd QS Masterclass seminar has quickly developed internationally through putting into practise lessons learned from the 1^st QS Master Class.

MSU’s World Class quality has been made clear as, in 2011, a number of international organizations including QS World University Ranking, SCImago Institutions Ranking (SIR) World Report, UI Green Metric World Universities Ranking, Webometric, 4icu Web Popularity Ranking, and Alexa Web Ranking, have considered MSU a fast-growing, world-class-recognized university.  

This success implies that in the near future, MSU will establish increased recognition on a national scale and globally. Moving forward towards the future on the world-class stage, MSU will continue its close partnership with QS-Asia to co-organize World Class Seminars and/or QS Master Class events.

  

Mahasarakham University will be the first Thai university to be considered under the new QS Star Rating system.

The seminar is also hosted in partnership with Guangxi University for Nationalities, China, University of the Free State, South Africa, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and University of the Philippines Diliman.

Click here for information on registration - early bird discount before Feb 15

Click here for 2nd iQS Poster and Brochure

CULTURAL EXCHANGE VISIT TO GUANGXI UNIVERSITY OF NATIONALITIES

MSU students from the Faculty of Fine Arts College and College of Music paid a goodwill visit to Guangxi University of Nationalities in the People’s Republic of China from December 9 – 14. MSU has close ties with Guangxi University through the Confucius Centre located on campus.

Vice Presidents for Student Affairs Dr Sujin Butdisuwan, International Relations and Planning Dr. Nathanon Trachoo and General Management Dr Piyapun Santaveesuk and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Dr.  Somkiet Poopatwiboon accompanied the forty-six students on the cultural exchange visit. 

MSU recognises the important social dimension of sharing art, music and cultural expression between students of different nationalities. 

Students may not speak the same language but enjoy sharing cultural elements of art, dance and music.

A highlight of the visit was a spectacular evening of performances of both Thai and Chinese traditional music and dance.

The goodwill visit is part of the continuing cultural exchange program between MSU and Guangxi University of Nationalities.

5TH EDUCATIONAL REFORM CONFERENCE IN MARCH – MSU FACULTY OF EDUCATION

MSU Faculty of Education will be co-chairing the 5^th International Conference on Educational Reform to be held in Pattaya on the 22^nd and 23^rd March this year. Other co-chairs of the conference are Savannakhet University, The National University of Laos and Hue University (Vietnam).

The theme of the two day conference is ‘Empowering People. Empowering the World.’ Keynote speakers will be Dr. David M. Fetterman from Stanford University (pictured left) and Dr. Akihito Kamata  from the University of Oregon (pictured below left). The annual conference provides an opportunity for international educators to share new theories and practices in education. 

There are a large variety of themes being covered at the conference this year. Some of these are innovation and technology in education, curriculum and learning innovation, creativity and diversity, teaching and teacher education programs, education  for minorities and at risk and marginalised students to name a few.

There are still a few days left if you wish to submit a paper for the conference. Submissions close on January 15.

The conference will be held at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Pattaya on March 22 -23, 2012

Click here to go to to the ICER web site for more details. 

Thailand Picture – Travel Photo - National Geographic Photo of the Day

National Geographic Photo of the day by Patrice Carlton ...."nothing I had seen prepared me for the incredible magic of experiencing thousands of these lanterns floating into the night sky"


Click on the link to see large picture Thailand Picture – Travel Photo - National Geographic Photo of the Day

NEW YEAR CEREMONY IN MAHASARAKHAM

On January 1 MSU Vice President for Special Affairs Associate Professor Dr. Suracha Amornpan attended the Maha Sarakham Provincial New Year ceremony held at the Clock Tower in central Mahasarakham. Dr. Suracha represented Mahasarakham University for the important ceremony which was also attended by Mr. Jeerawat Chuenwarin, Governor of Maha Sarakham Province.

The New Year ceremony is held in villages, towns, cities and villages all over Thailand early on New Year’s Day. Many of the townspeople will arise early and head to the community centre from about 6 am onwards bearing alms to give to the monks. All monks from surrounding temples attend and it is quite a spectacle to see the large number of monks and people showing respect and giving alms. There are also speeches by local government, business and, because Mahasarakham is a city of education, educational leaders.

On New Year’s Day in Mahasarakham the ceremony was attended by three hundred and fifty-nine monks from seventeen temples in and around the municipality. Government officers, business people and the general community numbering in their thousands prayed for His Majesty King Bhumibol, prosperity for themselves and their families before forming long lines where monks passed and received alms from the people.

The New Year ceremony is a wonderful time where the whole community comes together to wish each other prosperity and happiness for the coming year.

สุขสันต์ปีใหม่ - Happy New Year