Assoc. Prof. Dr. Surin Maisrikrod, Vice President of Walailak University (WU) and a chairperson of virtual discussion between Walailak University and St. Petersburg State University (SpBU), Russia, began the meeting via Zoom on Friday, 15 September 2023 at 1.00 to 2.00 pm. Bangkok time is from 09.00 to 10.00 am in St. Petersburg, Russia. The meeting mainly focused on implementing academic collaboration after the signed MoU, which has been completed in the last few months. The meeting went well for both parties, and there were several mutual benefit projects were discussed as follows:

1. The hybrid mode of the “REPRESENTATION OF ST. PETERSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY” opening ceremony in the November 2023 tentative schedule is between 16-17 November 2023 or 20-21 November 2023. The activity will include roundtable discussion among administrators, special lecturers, and cultural performance and exchange
2. Scientific exchange program collaboration, i.e. Staff exchange, student exchange, and research collaboration.

2.1 A staff exchange program will be initiated for all schools and faculty members who want to lecture at SpBU for 15 days in any expert area. The program is open to receive SpBU lecturers to visit and give a talk at Walailak University at a similar period. 

2.1.1 Action: Both parties will provide a list of exchange programs and time frames to apply

2.1.2 Potential areas such as business, pharmacy, dentistry, and medicine

2.1.3 WU by the School of Languages and General Education (SOLGEN) kindly offers SpBU’s students a subject of Global Citizenship as an elective course while on exchange

2.2 Research collaboration: With a strong emphasis on international research collaboration by Walailak University, research collaboration is an urgent agenda to increase the number of co-international publications and expand more opportunity in Russia.

2.2.1 Action: Walailak University will provide a top list of WU researchers, while SpBU will share the same researchers list.

2.3   Conference collaboration: co-conference is widely recommended for all disciplines to organize both physically and virtually

The meeting went well and met both sides ‘mission. Presented at the meeting by SpBU were:

1. Valeriya Malomuzh, Deputy Vice-Rector for International Affairs
2. Veronica Koytova, Head of the International Academic Cooperation Department
3. Tatiana Ryazantseva, Head of the Research Project Management Office of National Projects and Acting Head of the International Research Support Department
4. Elena Vasileva, Consultant to the Vice-Rector for International Affairs