The KU delegation visits laboratories to learn about research facilities, scientific equipment, and the progress of ongoing projects. [Photo/en.xmu.edu.cn]
A delegation from Kasetsart University's (KU) Faculty of Fisheries in Thailand visited Xiamen University's (XMU) Xiang'an Campus to advance a shared agenda focused on sustainable fisheries and coastal zone health management.
The exchange centered on exploring potential collaboration between China and Thailand in marine biotechnology, aquaculture, and academic cooperation.
Professor Luo Yawei, vice-dean of the College of Ocean and Earth Sciences at XMU, provided an overview of the college's efforts in talent development, research platform development, and international collaboration. He highlighted the university's role as a global hub for marine science, showcasing its research strengths and academic advantages.
Suriyan Tunkijjanukij, dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at KU, described the collaboration as a necessity rather than a choice. He emphasized the shared challenges facing China and Thailand in coastal ecosystem protection and sustainable fisheries management and expressed hope that the exchange would further enhance cooperation in marine technology and the blue economy.
During a specialized report session, Jitraporn Phaksopa, an assistant professor at KU, presented her research on the driving mechanisms of nearshore processes and the migration patterns of microplastic pollutants in Thai waters.
As the exchange progressed, both parties held discussions on building exchange mechanisms, building research cooperation platforms, exploring resource-sharing models, and enhancing regional collaboration under "the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development", particularly through the COASTAL-SOS project.
