National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) and Maejo University’s Faculty of Agricultural Production officially signed a “Faculty and Student Academic Cooperation and Exchange Agreement” on August 15, 2025. The ceremony was co-hosted by Dean Yi-Hsien Lin of the NPUST College of Agriculture and Associate Dean for International Relations Theeranuch Jaroenkit of Maejo University’s Faculty of Agricultural Production. The signing was witnessed by several guests, including Assistant Professor Shang Han Tsai of the Bachelor Program in Scientific Agriculture (and Head of the International Exchange Division, Office of International Affairs), Assistant Professor Chiang Ming-Hao of the Department of Plant Industry and Dr. Jutamas Piladee, an assistant professor from Maejo University.
This agreement marks the beginning of a deeper partnership between the two institutions, strengthening academic exchange and practical collaboration for faculty and students. Based on the principle of mutual benefit, both sides have committed to a variety of cooperation initiatives, including faculty visits, student exchanges, joint research, and the sharing of academic resources.
In his speech, Dean Yi-Hsien Lin stated, “This moment marks a significant milestone. We are grateful for Maejo University’s dedication to promoting collaboration and partnership and look forward to working closely with you to achieve our shared goals. We believe this cooperation will create many new opportunities for academic exchange, research collaboration, and mutual growth, as we work together to build a stronger, more innovative future.”
The initial results of this partnership are already coming into view. Under the guidance of Assistant Professor Shang Han Tsai, five students from the Bachelor Program in Scientific Agriculture have already completed an internship at Maejo University this past summer through the Ministry of Education’s “Overseas Study Dream Program”. One of the students, Tzu-Yun Hung, shared her experiences from the internship, noting that she gained a deep appreciation for the different teaching environments and agricultural cultures, and expressed her sincere gratitude to both universities for the opportunity. Her success has laid a solid foundation for future student exchanges between the two colleges.
Long Standing Partnership
NPUST and Maejo University have maintained active and frequent exchanges since signing a sister-school agreement in 2006. Maejo University, located in Chiang Mai Province in northern Thailand, is one of Thailand’s 28 national universities. Founded in 1934, it was originally known as the Northern Agricultural Teacher Training School and later the Maejo Institute of Agricultural Technology. As one of the oldest and most prestigious national agricultural universities in Thailand, Maejo University is a leader in agricultural development and research within the country.
The signing of this internship cooperation agreement is not only symbolic but also marks a crucial milestone in the concrete implementation of the two universities’ partnership. In the future, both institutions will continue to expand their areas of collaboration, jointly enhancing the international influence of agricultural education and industry development in Taiwan and Thailand.
