The Thai Blended Mobility program has officially launched, bringing together students from Kansai University (KU) and Panyapiwat Institute of Management (PIM) to focus on business and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year, 11 KU students are participating in the program, which features a blend of an online component in August and an immersive 10-day on-site experience in September.

 

Online program

 

Leading up to the on-site portion, Kansai University collaborated with 10 PIM students through a series of online sessions in August. Over nine interactive meetings, the students explored corporate social responsibility (CSR) and social entrepreneurship, guided by Professor Markane Sipraseuth (KU), Aisyah Astari (KU), and Sunida Piriyapada (PIM).

Working in teams, the students researched emerging trends in social entrepreneurship in Thailand and conducted case studies on the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices of three major companies. These activities laid the groundwork for the hands-on experience during the on-site program.

 

Onsite-program 

 

On September 10th, the on-site program officially launched under the guidance of Prof. Markane Sipraseuth and program coordinator Rob Kuipers. Building on the knowledge gained from the online sessions, students embarked on a deeper exploration of three selected companies. Their challenge was to develop innovative product proposals tailored specifically to the Thai market.

 

The program commenced with a visit to PIM, where Mr. Chawit Wichaiwong, Program Manager in PIM’s Office of International Relations, gave a detailed presentation on CP ALL's business strategies and provided a guided tour of both the PIM and CP ALL buildings. In the afternoon, the students met with Mr. Patthaporn Suksang, Assistant Section Manager of CP ALL Group, who gave a presentation on CP ALL's global footprint. Following this, the students visited three retail stores to gather data for their ongoing fieldwork projects.

 

 

Industry Insights and Company Visits

 

To further enhance their understanding of the Thai market, the second day of the program featured visits to two major companies. The morning began with a tour of Delta Electronics (Thailand) PCL, a leader in power and thermal management solutions for industries such as automotive and energy. Students were given a guided tour of one of Delta's data center manufacturing plants and had the opportunity to meet with company executives to discuss Delta’s sustainability practices and innovations in green technology.

 

In the afternoon, the students visited Pentel Thailand, a subsidiary of the renowned stationery manufacturer. Pentel executives provided insights into the company's operations in Southeast Asia and shared their strategies for innovation in the global stationery market. The students also toured the Pentel manufacturing plant, gaining firsthand knowledge of their production processes and sustainability initiatives.

 

The Thai Blended Mobility program continues with more activities and company visits, giving students invaluable experience in connecting academic learning with real-world business practices.