OHIO advances Southeast Asia partnerships through alumni engagement, research collaboration, and global education

An Ohio University delegation spent 12 days in January visiting Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia to build on a strong legacy of global partnerships while positioning OHIO for its next chapter of international engagement. The visit also produced new agreements that will bring increased educational, research and experiential learning opportunities for OHIO students.

The delegation included leadership from across the University, demonstrating a shared commitment to global education and interdisciplinary collaboration, including: Patton College of Education Dean Lisa Harrison, College of Arts and Sciences Dean Matthew Ando, Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts Dean Roxanne Schroeder-Arce, Patton College of Education Associate Dean Danielle Dani, Professor of Computer Science Chang Liu, and School of International Studies and Languages Director Haley Duschinski.

The visit was designed to advance key institutional priorities including strengthening long-standing and emerging partnerships, exploring new collaborations in research and experiential learning, and deepening engagement with alumni across professional sectors. In all three countries, conversations focused on how universities can collaborate to address shared global challenges—particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence governance and ethics, environmental sustainability and workforce preparation—while creating meaningful pathways for student learning and research. 

OHIO’s presence in Southeast Asia is sustained not only through formal agreements, but through people—alumni, faculty and partners—whose relationships with OHIO span decades. These relationships increasingly serve as platforms for collaborative research, industry engagement and applied learning initiatives that connect academic expertise to real-world needs.

Duschinski worked with international alumni and partners to plan the visit, while OHIO's Thai language instructor and World Languages coordinator Pittaya Paladroi-Shane worked to coordinate the engagements in Thailand.

Across Southeast Asia, OHIO alumni are positioned in key roles in government, education, media, the arts and business.

“It was inspiring to meet so many accomplished and committed alumni across all sectors of society and to visit so many university partners, some long-standing and some new,” said Ando. “These relationships represent decades of courage and vision on the part of leaders at Ohio University and on the part of the students who chose to come to OHIO from these countries. They inspire and support us to envision and enact opportunities in these countries for the next generation of OHIO students and faculty.”

OHIO’s relationship with Malaysia dates back more than 50 years and remains central to the University’s global priorities. OHIO representatives met with national ministries and education agencies focused on academic mobility, joint programming, environmental collaboration and the promotion of Malaysian language and culture. These discussions also highlighted opportunities to align academic collaboration with national priorities in workforce development, industry innovation and applied research.

One highlight of the visit was the celebration of the reinstatement of the Tun Abdul Razak Chair at Ohio University, a signature initiative that advances scholarship, culture and the arts while honoring the long-standing relationship between Ohio University and Malaysia. The incoming Tun Abdul Razak Chair will begin a two-year residency at Ohio University during the spring semester.

At longtime partner Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), discussions with senior leadership and faculty addressed engineering, science, mathematics, education, fine arts, sports science and global affairs. Conversations emphasized faculty and student mobility, short-term exchanges and collaborative research. Particular attention was given to areas such as robotics, data science and ethical applications of emerging technologies, as well as the potential to connect research collaboration with internships and workforce pipelines for students.

“Global partnerships like those with UiTM remind us that universities grow stronger through cultural exchange and institutional collaboration,” Harrison said. “These relationships create meaningful opportunities for students and faculty to engage with one another while strengthening student learning, cultural understanding and research partnerships.”

The Malaysia visit concluded with a gathering of alumni and friends in Kuala Lumpur. Alumni reflected on their time in Athens and on how OHIO friendships and networks have continued to shape their professional and personal lives. Their stories illustrated the enduring impact of Ohio University’s presence in Malaysia—and the vital role alumni continue to play in sustaining those ties.

Deepening partnerships in Cambodia

In Cambodia, the delegation met with university partners, alumni networks and nonprofit organizations for discussions on international research, global education and cultural collaborations.

Discussions with OHIO’s partner, Cambodia University of Technology and Science (CamTech) built on the MOU signed in November 2024 during CamTech's visit to Athens, Ohio for the 60th anniversary of the Center for International Studies. CamTech leadership includes two OHIO graduates: President Dr. Sothy Khieng and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Phirom Leng. Discussions focused on joint research projects, student summer exchanges and graduate pathways.

The OHIO delegation also met with the Documentation Center of Cambodia, including OHIO graduate Deputy Director Farina So, and Cambodia Living Arts. These discussions explored new opportunities for collaboration with organizations working in documentation, cultural preservation and the arts in Cambodia

“Through our deep connections in Cambodia, OHIO has the opportunity to engage collaboratively with partners who are addressing some of the most urgent global questions of our time," Duschinski said. "These relationships allow us to learn with and from Cambodian scholars, artists and practitioners, while preparing our students to think critically about technology, governance and social change in a global context."

The Cambodia visit concluded with an alumni reception in Phnom Penh, where alumni expressed interest in supporting future student internships, research placements and collaborative projects that connect academic learning with local and global needs. Their leadership and continued engagement underscored the vitality of OHIO’s Cambodian network and its potential for future collaboration.

Expanding collaborations in Thailand

In Thailand, the delegation engaged with university leaders, faculty, students and alumni in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, building on long-standing academic relationships while exploring new opportunities for student exchanges, internships, project-based learning and joint research. These discussions reinforced OHIO’s strengths in designing programs that integrate learning, practice and professional development.

The OHIO representatives celebrated the signings of new agreements with partner universities Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok and Payap University in Chiang Mai.

OHIO graduates play key roles at leading universities in Thailand: Dr. Parichart Sthapitanonda is the vice president for academic affairs and social outreach at Chulalongkorn University; Dr. Benya Lertsuwan is head of English communication at Payap University; Dr. Punchada Sirivunnabood is dean of social sciences and humanities at Mahidol University; and Dr. Pradthana Jaipong is assistant to the president at Chiang Mai University.

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The delegation also spent time with OHIO study abroad students at the Moradokmai Theatre Community and Homeschool outside Bangkok, a nonprofit arts and education center that integrates Thai cultural traditions with global perspectives. The visit underscored how international experiential learning enables students to develop important transferable skills including collaboration, adaptability and creative problem-solving—that are increasingly valued across professional fields.

“Traveling with this delegation to Southeast Asia reaffirmed my belief that global engagement is pivotal to student learning,” Schroeder-Arce said. “Witnessing OHIO students build relationships with youth at Moradokmai was deeply inspiring. After a beautiful day of cross-cultural learning through the arts leading to strong relationship-building, our departure was profoundly emotional—the Thai youth were literally holding onto the bus, while some of our students were in tears. In that moment, it was clear that the study abroad students’ consciousness of themselves as global citizens had grown by leaps and bounds.”

OHIO and the Moradokmai Theatre Community and Homeschool also signed a new agreement during the visit.

“I am incredibly excited about the upcoming opportunity for our students to complete internships at Moradokmai and the impact this experience will have on their global consciousness, their sense of self, and their own artistic development,” Schroeder-Arce said.

Alumni receptions in Bangkok and Chiang Mai brought together graduates working across education, government, business, and the creative arts. Alumni shared reflections on how their Ohio University experiences continue to inform their work, and they expressed enthusiasm for supporting future student opportunities, from internships to collaborative projects. 

The delegation was especially honored to spend time with distinguished alumni whose careers exemplify the global impact of an OHIO education. These moments reinforced the depth of Thailand’s alumni network and its importance to the University’s international future.

Alumni networks and the future of global engagement

OHIO’s global impact in Southeast Asia has been built over time through trust, relationships and shared commitment to education. Alumni repeatedly emphasized how their years in Athens—and the relationships formed there—shaped their professional trajectories and their ongoing connection to OHIO.

The visit generated new opportunities for international internships, student exchanges, collaborative research and arts-based initiatives that will continue to evolve in the years ahead. Together, these efforts strengthen Ohio University’s capacity to prepare students for global careers while advancing research that addresses pressing ethical, technological and societal challenges.