A Range of Educational Activities for Sustainability by Chulalongkorn University, Expanding to the Community and Society

As an educational institution, Chulalongkorn University focuses on utilizing its diverse academic knowledge to improve communities and society. In this effort, the university has organized a variety of educational programs for a broad audience, including alumni, the general public, local residents, and displaced people. These activities aim to empower people from all backgrounds with the knowledge to take care of themselves and to become capable contributors to community and social development. Furthermore, this initiative also helps reduce social inequality.

Examples of Projects and Initiatives in 2023-2024:

The Trainer Training Programme for Inclusive Social Services in a Borderless World

Chulalongkorn University’s Office of International Affairs and Global Network, the Asian Research Center for Migration at the Institute of Asian Studies, the General Education Center, and the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, in collaboration with INEB, Civic Engagement 4.0—Dignity, Justice, and Sustainability, organized a Trainer Training Program for Inclusive Social Service in a Borderless World. This program invited 18 Myanmar instructors from migrant learning centers in Mae Sot, Thailand, for training sessions on August 16–18 and August 23 –25, 2024.

Participants engaged in learning and exchanging innovative teaching methods and classroom activities designed to deepen cross-national and cross-ethnic understanding and appreciation. The program also fostered international and multi-sectoral exchanges, encouraging collaborative activities that support sustainability across Asia. [ https://inebinstitute.org/senslibretto/ ]

[ http://www.sustainability.chula.ac.th/report/3511/ ]
[ http://www.sustainability.chula.ac.th/report/3728/ ]

Knowledge Management and Technology Transfer Project on Reproductive Technology for Small Ruminants to Improve the Capabilities of Livestock Farmers in Nan Province

Sarawanee Khunmanee, D.V.M., Ph.D., from Chulalongkorn University’s School of Agricultural Resources, is leading a research team on the project “Knowledge Management and Technology Transfer in Reproductive Technologies for Small Ruminants to Enhance the Capabilities of Livestock Farmers in Nan Province.” This effort, funded by Thailand’s National Research Council (NRCT), intends to provide local farmers with easily accessible, viable methods for artificial insemination of goats and sheep. This project teaches farmers how to breed animals in accordance with their community’s specific demands, financial constraints, resource availability, and local conditions. Recognized as a “Model KM Project in Agricultural Community and Social Impact,” the NRCT chose this effort as a featured project during the “NRCT OPEN HOUSE 2024.”

[ https://www.cusar.chula.ac.th/post-bc/2767-2/ ]

Witsawapat Engineering Camp, The Rural Development Volunteer Engineering Program

The Faculty of Engineering at Chulalongkorn University leads the Witsawapat Camp, which is part of the Volunteer Engineering for Rural Development Project and involves faculty and students from 12 departments such as Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Survey Engineering, and Water Resources Engineering. The camp promotes sustainable development in rural communities and acts as a valuable source of irrigation knowledge, providing students with practical, hands-on learning experiences in addressing water management difficulties in remote places. This program teaches children technical and leadership skills while also instilling social and environmental responsibility. This year, Witsawapat Camp addressed the critical issue of drought and agricultural water constraint in Ban Chetawan, Santha Subdistrict, Nanoi District, Nan Province. The village, which is home to 264 homes and 1,067 individuals who rely on agriculture in hilly terrain, confronts issues as a result of its reliance on low-cost maize as its principal crop. This initiative enables students to solve real-world problems while immediately benefiting the local community’s resilience. In 2023, the project will install a solar-powered water diversion system and build tiny check dams to serve the neighborhood. In appreciation, the community gave Chulalongkorn University a plot of land for the “Ban Din Tania Pracharuamjai” Learning Center. This center serves as a knowledge exchange hub for both locals and visitors, encouraging sustainable water resource management in drought-prone mountainous areas and inspiring other communities to follow suit.

The Rakkaew Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young Thai leaders with social consciousness and a commitment to community service, awarded this initiative first place in the “2023 Rakkaew Foundation National Exposition: University Sustainability Showcase.

[ http://www.sustainability.chula.ac.th/th/report/3497/ ]

The Chula Engineering Lifelong Learning Support Project

The Faculty of Engineering at Chulalongkorn University offers programs designed to support reskilling and upskilling for students, educational staff, alumni, and the general public, following the principles of Lifelong Learning. Currently, 8 out of the 20 courses offered focus on advancing knowledge related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

1. Co-operate Environmental Management
2. Social Tools for Developing Sustainable Corporate
3. Climate Change Science
4. Climate Change Adaptation
5. Paving Your Way to e-mobility
6. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform
7. Process Design and Sustainable Development
8. Carbon Farming Strategies

[ https://www.eng.chula.ac.th/th/academics/lifelong-learning-program ]