February 17, 2025 – Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, through the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC) hosted the “Becoming an Entrepreneurial University: Building Bridges and Shaping the Future” event at the Novotel Bangkok Siam Square. The event aimed to provide a platform for sharing experiences in building entrepreneurial universities and fostering relationships between the University of Strathclyde, UK, and research institutions and universities in Thailand.
Associate Professor Dr. Chaleeda Borompichaichartkul, Deputy Director for Research Strategy of PMUC, opened the event by stating, “PMUC allocates research funds and creates innovations to enhance the competitiveness of Thailand’s manufacturing and service sectors. Moreover, PMUC is not only funding agency, but we are part of innovation ecosystem builder. We have a high and challenged ambition to bridge the gap of research to innovation and impactful commercialization.”
The event featured a special seminar titled “Food for Thought: Vision, Impact, and Path Forward for Entrepreneurial Universities” by experts from the University of Strathclyde, including:
- Gillian Docherty CBE FRSE, Chief Commercial Officer
- Professor Duncan Graham FRSE, Associate Principal & Executive Dean, Faculty of Science
- Julian Taylor, Managing Director, International Operations
This session shared insights from over 50 years of experience in shaping entrepreneurial universities, highlighting how universities serve as key drivers in building the Glasgow Innovation District. The discussion explored how university-led infrastructure connects academia, businesses, industries, and the public sector through initiatives such as Technology & Innovation Centre (TIC), National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre.
These initiatives have successfully attracted global industry leaders like Boeing, Rolls Royce, and Siemens to invest and collaborate with universities on cutting-edge research. Additionally, the session emphasized the importance of leadership and culture in fostering long-term success.
In addition, Julian Taylor participated in an Experience Sharing on “Insights from the Research Executive Training Deep Dive Program (TREX) Program for the University Management Team” moderated by Assistant Professor Dr. Akkharawit Kanjana-Opas, Advisor to PMUC. This session introduced the goals of the TREX program and featured past participants from Thai universities who shared their training experiences and site visits at the University of Strathclyde last year. They highlighted the benefits of the program, how they have applied their learnings in Thailand, and opportunities for further development. The discussion also provided insights into upcoming TREX programs this year, ensuring continued capacity building for Thailand’s research and innovation ecosystem.
