A record number of delegates (800) attended the annual conference of the Asia Pacific Association of International Education (APAIE) at Thailand’s first institution of higher education, Mahidol University, in Bangkok last month.Delegates from 44 countries from all regions of the world attended the conference, now in its 7th year.
The conference’s theme was “University Social Responsibility for the Benefit of Mankind” and featured opening and closing keynote speeches from M.R. Disnadda Diskul, Secretary General of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation Under Royal Patronage and Dr. Gwang-Jo Kim, director of UNESCO Bangkok.
A spokesperson at APAIE said attendance continues to rise every year. “People came because the theme of the conference is very interesting and because it was a good opportunity to come visit Thailand,” she said.
In addition to offering networking opportunities, organisers said the aim of the conference was to provide delegates with an opportunity to explore how knowledge, expertise and resources can help to tackle complex problems facing communities both at the local and global level.
Each year the conference is held at different host universities around the region. This year the venue was Thailand’s first medical school at Siriraj Hospital, part of Mahidol University which was founded in 1888.
“The university has agreed to host this conference because we recognise the significant importance of providing a forum for educators and professionals to build an international network,” said Professor Rajata Rajatanavin, President of Mahidol University.
“The new teaching and meeting facilities made available by Siriraj Faculty of Medicine make it possible to organise an international event economically which is in line with the principle of sufficient economy.”
Next year’s conference will be hosted by the Chinese University in Hong Kong 11-14 March.
