Walailak University Delegation Visits NTNU for Bilingual Education Insights
On September 6, a delegation from Thailand’s Walailak University, led by Vice President Surin Maisrikrod, visited NTNU to learn about its successful strategies in promoting bilingual education. Walailak University, a public university in southern Thailand, has been focusing on bilingual education as part of its efforts to strengthen international integration, though it continues to face challenges. Inspired by NTNU’s achievements, Walailak University requested the visit to explore NTNU's approach to bilingual education.
The delegation included several prominent Walailak University representatives: Suthanya Doung-In, Director of the Teaching Center; Professor Pacharee Imsri from the EMI Steering Committee; Thaweeluck Pollachom, Director of General Education; and Pavirasa Pradisorn, Associate Dean of the School of Languages and General Studies. NTNU’s Bilingual Education Promotion Office hosted the visit, with key NTNU representatives in attendance, including Vice President for Academic Affairs and Associate Executive Officer of RCEMI, Dr. Yeu-Ting Liu; Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Development, Shyue-Ying Chiang; Director of the Center for General Education, Yi-Ting Ethan Zheng; Chief of the Foreign Language Education Division, Pei-Chin Chang; and Executive Secretary of the Office of Bilingual Education, Hong-Ming Liaw. The visitors were provided with detailed briefings and tours of NTNU’s facilities, gaining insights into the university's EMI curriculum planning, teacher training, and student learning resources.
During the visit, Vice President Surin Maisrikrod expressed admiration for NTNU’s achievements, stating, “We visited several universities, but NTNU's success in bilingual education has far exceeded our expectations. We have gained invaluable insights during this trip.” He also emphasized the hope of establishing a long-term partnership with NTNU and looked forward to collaborating on EMI teaching initiatives at Walailak University.
NTNU’s leadership in bilingual education has been recognized both nationally and internationally. In 2021, the Ministry of Education selected NTNU as a Key Cultivation University for the Bilingual Education for Students in College initiative. Over the past three years, the initiative has resulted in the expansion of bilingual course offerings, improved learning support systems, and enhanced teacher professional development. The number of students enrolled in bilingual courses has doubled, demonstrating the program’s success. Recently, the Ministry of Education approved the establishment of the Resource Center for EMI at NTNU, designed to provide bilingual education resources and assistance to universities across Taiwan.
Vice President Liu noted that the visit from Walailak University reflects NTNU’s growing international recognition in the field of bilingual education. Moving forward, NTNU plans to continue sharing its expertise and resources with universities worldwide, further expanding its influence in the field of bilingual education.