Republica caught up with Prof Dr Voradej Chandarasorn, President, and Asst Prof Dr Chanchai Bunchapattanasakda, Provost and Dean School of Management, of Shinawatra University. Excerpts:[break]
How is Shinawatra University’s (SIU, International) affiliation going to benefit students?
Prof Dr Voradej: SIU will help Global College develop Masters Degree program here in Kathmandu. Students will have to study the first year here and the year after that in Thailand. The degree will be internationally recognized because SIU is an internationally recognized university.
We will also be sending professors from SIU to deliver lectures and professors from here will also do the same. This would benefit the students in both countries. Also, when students come to study in SIU after a year, they will be exposed to an international environment where they will meet students from 26 different countries that they can learn from and grow together.
What does SIU specialize in?
Asst Prof Dr Chanchai: We are known for our Business Management. Our alumni’s have set their own businesses and worked in multinational companies in the past. Other fields we specialize in are Energy Management and Informational Technology (IT). We also have nursing but it is being taught in Thai language at the moment. In the near future, we hope to deliver lectures in English and welcome international students. Master and Doctoral degrees are also available. In terms of output, we were ranked #1 in school management in Thailand in 2010.
How difficult is it to enroll into the program?
Prof Dr Voradej: The students will have to apply in GC and face the interview and other processes. Because we’ve already signed an MOU, when students are admitted to Global College, they are automatically students of SIU. The students, however, will have to spend a year here in Kathmandu and then the second year in SIU. Sometime in the future, maybe, the students can come to SIU first and then to GC after that.
Are there any provisions of scholarship?
Prof Dr Voradej: We gave away full scholarship to two PhD students this time. We also provide loans to students while studying there. And if they are interested, they can work as assistant to lecturers and gain some experience and earn some money as well. Scholarship is definitely a good idea but we are yet to talk to GC management about it.
How are the Nepali students, currently studying in SIU, faring?
Asst Prof Dr Chanchai: They are doing very good. Most of them are topping the batch. They are very eager to participate in school activities and are academically sound. They are responsible and are doing well, I must say.
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