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Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, President of Walailak University, together with Assistant Professor Dr. Patnarin Supakorn, Director of the Center for International Affairs (CIA), is visiting Switzerland from 28 August to 6 September 2026 for the International Academic Network and Collaboration Program (IANCOP) 2026, organized by the Council of University Presidents of Thailand (CUPT). The mission — which also included WU's internationalization, research, and strategy leadership — gave Thai university leaders first-hand insight into how Swiss institutions drive excellence in research, AI, talent development, tourism, and university–industry collaboration, and how those lessons translate into concrete opportunities for Walailak University (WU).

On 29 August, the delegation visited the University of Zurich (UZH) to learn about its Leading House Asia Pacific program, backed by Switzerland's State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, which funds Swiss–Asia Pacific research collaboration through seed funding, mobility, and networks. Two early links emerged: WU's School of Medicine with Prof. Michael Baudis of UZH on cancer genomics and bioinformatics, and WU astrophysicist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pongpichit Channuie with Prof. Laura Baudis on dark matter research. WU's CIA is now compiling researcher profiles to take these connections forward.

On 31 August, ETH Zurich showcased a model linking education, frontier research, technology transfer, and start-ups — built bottom-up and scaled through seed funding. Of particular interest was ICAIN, the International Computation and AI Network, which applies AI to health, climate and agriculture, education, and language diversity; the CIA has shared details with WU's Schools of Engineering and Technology and Informatics for further study. Delegates also learned about Apertus, an open multilingual AI model from ETH Zurich, EPFL, and CSCS that could be adapted for Thai-language applications in health, agriculture, and the environment.

 

On 1 September, swissuniversities presented Switzerland's three-track higher-education system — Research Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS), and Universities of Teacher Education — each equal in standing but distinct in mission, with flexible pathways between academic and professional tracks and a strong focus on employability and lifelong learning. The takeaway for WU: plan around what students, society, and industry will need, and expand flexible learning, work-integrated learning, industry engagement, and international exposure accordingly.

On the morning of 2 September, EHL Hospitality Business School raised the possibility of student and faculty mobility, joint research, and a regenerative hospitality and tourism "living lab" using Southern Thailand to study tourism, community, environment, and the local economy together. The CIA has connected EHL with WU's School of Management to begin direct, school-to-school talks, starting with a defined mobility exchange or pilot project.

That afternoon, Prof. Arturo Bris, Director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center, noted that Thailand's challenge lies less in a shortage of talent than in strengthening the pipeline linking education to skills, employment, and productivity — alongside opportunities in energy, investment, ASEAN ties, and AI-driven growth. For WU, this points toward collaboration on executive leadership, AI and productivity, and graduate employability, beginning with a targeted workshop or policy dialogue.



The delegation then visited Nestlé on 3 September, where discussions covered nutrition, food safety, sustainable packaging, and climate-smart agriculture. Building on WU's strong record of Q1 research output, the CIA will work with the University's School of Agricultural Technology and Food Industry, School of Public Health, Center for Cooperative Education and Career Development, and Science and Technology Park to shape pilot projects that fit each unit's strengths and Nestlé's priorities.

Together, these six conversations point toward concrete next steps for Walailak University — researcher partnerships, pilot projects, and joint programs — as each connection moves from early dialogue toward the University's broader goal of global excellence.