Bangkok, Thailand—Kasetsart University (KU) in Bangkok, Thailand hosted the 19th University Consortium Executive Officers and Coordinators Meeting on 6-7 November 2006. The University Consortium Executive Board meets annually and hosting of meetings is rotated among its member institutions.
Matters deliberated upon and approved by the UC Executive Board during the meeting are: 1) application of the Tokyo University of Agriculture (TUA) in Japan as Associate Member effective November 2006; 2) to study the possibility to set up a pool of fund for training and leadership projects; 3) development of project proposals to attract donors and philanthropists; 4) conduct of a UC workshop early next year to come up with a long-term plan and develop the proposal for UC projects; and 5) implementation of UC activities within the limits of the UC resources during the short-term period, to include faculty visits/exchange with joint seminar as output; faculty training for joint research advising; workshop of graduate school deans to share information on graduate school systems and curricular programs.
The Institut Pertanian Bogor will be the host of the next UC meeting tentatively scheduled on the first week of November 2007.
Participants to the meeting were Dr. Edhi Martono, Vice Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Susamto Somowiyarjo, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, and Dr. Masyhuri, Chairman, Master of Agribusiness Management Program, all from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia; Dr. Ir. Muhammad Achmad Chozin, Vice Rector, Dr. Drajat Martianto, Vice Dean, Graduate School, and Dr. Ma’mun Sarma, Director for International Programs, Institut Pertanian Bogor, Indonesia; Dr. Hasanah Mohd. Ghazali, Deputy Dean, School of Graduate Studies, and Dr. Ghizan Saleh, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, both from Universiti Putra Malaysia; Dr. Wattana Swanyatiputi, President, Dr. Thanwa Jitsanguan, Vice President for International Affairs, and Ms. Phacharavadee Paerattakul, Director of International Affairs Office, Kasetsart University, Thailand; Dr. Mahesh Upadhyaya, Associate Dean, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences Graduate Studies, University of British Columbia, Canada; Dr. Roger Swift, Executive Dean, Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences and Director, Gatton College, and Dr. Richard Williams, Coordinator, Faculty International Programs, Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Australia; Dr. Luis Rey I. Velasco, Chancellor and Dr. Cristeta N. Cuaresma, Secretary of Graduate School, University of the Philippines Los Baños; Dr. Arsenio M. Balisacan, Director; and Dr. Editha C. Cedicol, Manager of Graduate Scholarship Department, both of the SEAMEO Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).
The UC was established in September 1989 at SEARCA, College, Laguna, Philippines and its founding members are Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) and Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Indonesia; Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM); Kasetsart University (KU) in Thailand; and University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). Its associate members are University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada; University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia; the Georg-August University of Goettingen (GAUG) in Germany, and just recently, Tokyo University of Agriculture (TUA) in Japan. SEARCA initiated the establishment of the UC and is the seat of the UC Secretariat. (Contributed by e.c.cedicol)
