WTUN Exchange Programme 2024-25: Meet the 2024/25 Participants
Meet the 18 successful participants of this year’s WTUN Exchange Programme who following selection by the assessment panel will each be awarded up to £2,000 (GBP) to support their proposed collaboration with a fellow WTUN member university.
The WTUN Exchange Programme runs annually and provides academic and professional services staff and PhD students the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues at a member institution of their choosing. Participants of the Exchange Programme are awarded up to £2,000 (GBP) to support them in their shared projects, facilitating face-to-face collaboration in new research environments and the opportunity to immerse themselves in the cultural landscapes of the hosting institution.
The WTUN Exchange Programme has led to outcomes such as student exchanges, collaborative research projects, joint publications, and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between institutions. Previous Exchange Programme partnerships have focussed on areas such as renewable energy storage, the promotion of healthy childhood movement within school curriculum, and multi-dimensional models for promoting equity in higher education.
We are pleased to formally announce the 2024/25 WTUN Exchange Programme participants and we look forward to the impact and outcomes that these visits will support. Thank you to each of this year’s participating member institutions and congratulations to the grant recipients on their successful proposals.
Participant: Noor Alsayed, Assistant Professor in the College of Business and Finance, Ahlia University (Bahrain)
Collaboration Partner (Host): Gabriela Gliga, Lecturer in Marketing and Sustainability, Atlantic Technological University (Ireland)
Theme/Focus: Enhancing Sustainability education
Participant: Fatema AlDhaen, Assistant Professor and Researcher in Management, Marketing and Information Systems, Ahlia University (Bahrain)
Collaboration Partner (Host): Vishanth Weerakkody, Professor and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of Bradford (United Kingdom)
Theme/Focus: Integrating digital entrepreneurship and innovation into Marketing and Management curricular.
Participant: Gabriela Gliga, Lecturer in Marketing and Sustainability, Atlantic Techological University (Ireland)
Collaboration Partner (Host): Noor Al Sayed, Assistant Professor in the College of Business and Finance, Ahlia University (Bahrain)
Theme/Focus: Enhancing Sustainability education
Participant: Oladosu Oladimeji, PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Engineering and Design, Atlantic Technological University (Ireland)
Collaboration Partner (Host): Arathyram Ramachandra Kurup Sasikala, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford (United Kingdom)
Theme/Focus: Nanomaterial-based cancer therapies, AI-based classification systems
Participant: Jothilakshmi N, Research Scholar in Mathematics, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science
Collaboration Partner (Host): Joe Ryan, Honorary Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and Software Engineering, University of Newcastle
Theme/Focus: Graph embedding, network optimisation
Participant: Albert Alipan Tayong, Assistant Professor and Programme Manager in the Faculty of Information Technologies, Majan University College
Collaboration Partner (Host): Tula Jutarosaga, Dean of the Faculty of Science, King Mongkut’s University of Technology, Thonburi
Theme/Focus: Development of mathematical models, student number forecasting, workload optimisation.
Participant: Husna Dimapalao, Assistant Professor and MSU Green Transition TWG Co-Chair, Mindanao State University
Collaboration Partner (Host): Hitoshi Nakamura, Vice President and Professor in Planning, Architecture and Environmental Systems, Shibaura Institute of Technology
Theme/Focus: Climate action and green transition initiatives, waste-to-energy solutions, sustainable campus innovations.
Participant: Kenichi Sugimura, Assistant Director in the Office of International Services, Shibaura Institute of Technology
Collaboration Partner (Host): Sasima Juwasophi, Director of International Affairs Office, King Mongkut’s University of Technology, Thonburi
Theme/Focus: Partnership development, global strategy, student mobility programmes and joint-teaching capacities.
Participant: Masaomi Kimura, Director for Center for International Programs, Shibaura Institute of Technology
Collaboration Partner (Host): Somsak Siwadamrongpong, Associate Dean of Institute of Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology
Theme/Focus: Collaborative projects, capacity for global educational and student mobility opportunities.
Participant: Melanie Ross, Research Chair in Applied Research and Innovation Services, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Collaboration Partner (Host): Dr Ciarán Ó hAnnracháin, Strategic Projects Manager, Atlantic Technological University
Theme/Focus: Built environment, assessing the economic, social and cultural impact of building and construction on global emissions.
Participant: Tharathep Phiboon, Lecturer in School of Mechanical Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology
Collaboration Partner (Host): Shabudin Mat, Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Theme/Focus: Aerodynamics testing and supervised machine learning applied to the wing of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) design, utilising emerging technologies, artificial intelligence.
Participant: Pawornwan Rittipakorn, Dentist and Instructor, Suranaree University of Technology
Collaboration Partner (Host): TBC, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle
Theme/Focus: Bone graft materials, oral health in ageing populations, improvement of patient care, surgical outcomes, and healthcare innovations.
Participant: Thanawit Bunsit, Lecturer and Head of Studies in Economics, Thaksin University
Collaboration Partner (Host): Dr Qun Shao, Deputy Director of Bradford-Renduchintala Enterprise Ecosystem, University of Bradford
Theme/Focus: Promotion of organic agriculture and agri-tourism for rural wellbeing development in Thailand, strengthening of collaboration in areas such as student entrepreneurship and innovation (e.g. via WTUN-ASEP).
Participant: Kamonthip Jiadkong, Lecturer in Faculty of Technology and Community Development, Thaksin University
Collaboration Partner (Host): Anant Paradkar, Professor and Director of Centre for Pharmaceutical and Skin Sciences, University of Bradford (United Kingdom)
Theme/Focus: Potential of bioactive compounds found in betel petioles, promotion of sustainable agricultural practices and supporting local economies.
Participant: Julio Rezende, Professor in Industrial Engineering, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
Collaboration Partner (Host): Herbert Jodlbauer, Head of Department in Smart Production, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
Theme/Focus: Integration of space sustainability research and engineering innovation to align with global technological and environmental challenges, applications in space and earth-based sustainability efforts.
Participant: Si Na Kew, Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Collaboration Partner (Host): Gwo-Jen Hwang, Professor in Graduate Institute of Digital Learning and Education, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
Theme/Focus: Development of joint teaching module titled “Insightful Learning: A Joint Teaching and Learning Module on Learning Analytics” to understand student learning behaviours and patterns in online learning environments.
Participant: Sreekanth Pentlavalli, Lecturer in Drug Delivery in School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Bradford
Collaboration Partner (Host): Dindyal Mandal, Associate Professor in School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology
Theme/Focus: Research collaboration looking at novel nanoparticles for treating breast cancer, development of a long-acting sustainable drug delivery system.
Participant: Iftekhar Ahmed, Associate Professor in Construction Management and Disaster Resilience, University of Newcastle
Collaboration Partner (Host): Nurul Zainab Binti Along, Lecturer and Program Coordinator for Masters in Disaster Risk Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Theme/Focus: Climate action and resilient housing for indigenous communities in Malaysia within the context of flooding.