A delegation of 41 faculty members from the School of Educational Studies at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU), Thailand, visited Beijing International Studies University (BISU) on March 11 for an exchange. The delegation was led by Sunsanee Sungsunanun, administrative deputy dean of the School of Educational Studies at STOU.

A meeting is held between BISU and STOU faculty members.

Shu Hong, secretary of the CPC BISU's School of Asian Studies Committee, welcomed the delegation on behalf of the school and introduce to them the university and the school, including their educational advantages and features, and internationalization efforts.

STOU has rich experience in distance online education and information-based teaching, she said, presenting broad prospects for cooperation.

Shu expressed the hope that this visit would serve as an opportunity to expedite the signing of an inter-university memorandum of understanding (MOU) to facilitate extensive and in-depth cooperation in areas such as joint development of online courses, expansion of international online education resources, and the application of artificial intelligence technology.

Han Yijun, deputy director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Office, highlighted the achievements in international exchange and cooperation BISU has made in recent years. She said that STOU has a leading edge and abundant resources in distance and open education. She looks forward to practical cooperation in areas such as student internships, the introduction of short- and long-term foreign experts, and academic exchanges for faculty, adding that she welcomes more Thai students to pursue degree programs at BISU.

Sungsunanun expressed heartfelt thanks for the warm reception. She highly praised BISU's achievements in international development, particularly the outstanding strengths in foreign languages and tourism disciplines. She fully agreed with the proposed directions for cooperation and expressed her commitment to promoting the signing of the MOU between the two universities. She also extended an invitation to faculty and students from BISU to visit STOU for exchanges, particularly to engage in substantive cooperation in online course development, AI education and teaching, faculty exchanges and student internships.

Attendees of the meeting pose for a group photo.

During the visit, the delegation also gave an academic lecture for BISU's Thai language students and toured the campus and university history museum, gaining a deeper understanding of BISU's development and educational features, thereby laying a solid foundation for future cooperation.

STOU, established in 1978, is Thailand's first higher education institution to offer distance open education. Named after the renowned Sukhothai dynasty in Thai history, the university is dedicated to providing flexible and convenient learning opportunities to the general public. STOU comprises several faculties, in fields such as education, management, law, and health sciences, and is particularly renowned for its achievements in distance education, open learning and information-based teaching. The university promotes educational equity and lifelong learning for all, serving as a key pillar of Thailand's distance education system.