CHEST’S empowerment programme trip to Bangkok, Thailand

A group of lecturers and students from Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) comprising Dr. Azizul Helmi Sofian, Dr. Nor Hanuni bin Ramli and eight undergraduates from Faculty of Chemical & Natural Resources Engineering went for a four-day educational trip to Bangkok, Thailand recently.

The programme was part of the initiatives taken to expose students to the international arena by expanding their horizon, experiencing different educational system and culture and in the process, help them to be forward-thinking and globally competitive.

The trip began with a very inspiring session at the Yunus Centre, Asian Institute of Technology, the first collaboration of its kind by Nobel Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus and an educational institution – the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). It was established in 2009.

The Centre’s Director, Dr. Faiz H. Shah and Senior Programme Officer, Rowena Alcoba were present at the session that included discussion where the students were enlightened on the social business philosophy and its impact when implemented accordingly.

Dr. Faiz described social business as a normal business but one with ‘heart and soul’.

UMP Programme Director, Wan Hamizan said he hoped that UMP and the centre would form a collaboration that would pave the way for a new Yunus Centre be set up in the east coast region.

The UMP group also visited the King Mongkut`s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), one of the prominent technical universities in Thailand. It was the first visit by the Faculty of Chemical & Natural Resources Engineering.

They were greeted by Dean for Faculty of Engineering, Professor Dr. Chai Jaturapitakkul and its Associate Dean for International Affairs, Assistant Professor Dr. Chawin Chantharasenawong.

Also present were Head of Chemical Engineering Department, Associate Professor Dr. Piyabutr Wanichpongpan and Associate Professor Dr. Asawin Meechai who represented KMUTT’s Chemical Engineering Department.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with UMP and both universities took the opportunity to exchange information about their academic programme, mobility programme, possible joint cooperation and the International Festival of Innovation of Green Technology (i-Finog) and National Chemical Engineering Symposium (NACES) 2019.

The group also took to sightseeing and visited various popular attractions but the highlight of the whole trip was the experience learned at the Yunus Centre and possible academic and cultural collaboration with KMUTT.

CHEST President, Alief Uzair said he hoped that the society’s future committee members would continue to work on all the initiatives that had been laid out as there were a lot benefits that could be gained by students as well as the faculty.