I was lucky to be invited to be a speaker at the second Myanmar-Thailand Network in Mandalay and Taunggyi for 5 days earlier this week, learning and feeling so touched ka.
This network consists of 7 university presidents each from the two countries (*see 'NOTE' for the names of the universities below ka!), who met for the first time at Mae Fah Luang university and for the second time at University of Mandalay and Taunggyi University.
I'd like to share what I've learned from the overall mission ka:
1. The funding is from Bureau of International Cooperation Strategies, OHEC. Yet, both in cash and in kind support was obvious from the Myanmar end and what was highly felt was their warm hospitality and kind consideration for the program to be fruitful and smooth. U of Mandalay offered all other Myanmar Rectors to stay at its guest houses (very spacious and nice ka!), and hosted a dinner among many others it graciously took up! Other Rectors accompanied us all the way and when several couldn't because of their urgent mission to sit for an interview for the rotation/promotion required by the MOE at the last minute, they stretched their presence to the best they could.
2. At the opening ceremony, several key VIPs attended from Myanmar's Ministry of Education and the way they took care of the VIPs were simple. What was simpler was the humbleness of the VIPs who were far from formal, especially the quiet way of their arrival and departure after the opening.
3. Despite the fact that this was only the second meeting of this network, the Myanmar side has well-recognized it as one of the key gatherings given a high priority that its Ministry of Education will support, particularly amid its reform efforts.
4. A few challenges it has identified include internationalization (IZN), centralization vs autonomy, leadership training, and quality assurance (now that it's focusing on both QA and qualifications framework). Immediately, I see how this leaders'platform can play a vital role loei ka.
5. Mandalay Rector managed to be with us the first 2 days and was attentive with all the sessions. As she was called by its MOE for an important meeting she couldn't miss, she requested us to stop at a tollway for her to say goodbye with us the morning she had to leave for Nay Pyi Taw and us for Taunggyi. So touched with her learning curiosity and friendship ka.
Um! with respect, I was wondering about our Thai university presidents' time, priority, and learning enthusiasm in such a setting na ka nia! (only one Thai president was present at each of the two meetings ka!)
Taunggyi Rector, the other host kindly welcomed us when it was about to have its graduation ceremony this weekend. Its meeting room was filled with most if not all, department heads who expressed their wishes to conduct joint research with the Thai partners.
On the whole, it was amazing how friendship has been deepened only at the second meeting. I feel it must have been the combination, the chemistry, and the sincerity of all participants and the strong support from both MOE's ka. So happy to see it grow fast and quite stable at this stage even when we may see some change of the leadership of the members.
On a more personal end, I met two who attended a leadership forum I helped SEAMEO RIHED ran. Both shook hands with delight and I couldn't be happier.
One of them is Rector of East Yangon University whose greeting made my heart flow like a balloon! While shaking hands very firmly, he said, ''New Normal, IZN!'' This was the best greeting I've ever heard in my life to mention the keywords of the sessions I had given ka!
It so happened that he was one of the invited speakers and again he mentioned about his experience at the SEAMEO RIHED forum to meet with the owner of Caffe De'Oro! I was happiest'est'est ka!
His kindness already exceeded my expectations and it wasn't ended there. On the morning we had to leave for a domestic airport, he personally took three of us there. Met us up at 6 am, he made me feel so very grengjai...and that wasn't it! He took us to his relative's house for a Myanmar breakfast, which was like a feast. His relative and family were all so generous to strangers like us. I felt real grateful and was thinking I didn't deserve such a beautiful treatment, and my grengjai'ness became endless!
There were other little or big stories that are very meaningful to my heart ka. All have made me even closer to our Myanmar friends (in fact, one of the Myanmar participants said, 'We aren't friends! We're brothers and sisters.')
This Myanmar trip makes me smile whenever I think about it ka!
Happy weekend na ka.
*NOTE: For Thailand, the universities involved are from the north basically to make it easier in terms of distance to Myanmar and cover the 4 types of institutions, from traditional like Chiang Mai, Mae Fah Luang, and Naresuan; to Rajabhat system (Rajabhat Kanchanaburi and Rajabhat Chiang Rai) and Rajamangala system (Rajamangala.....Lanna) as well as a private one (North-Chiang Mai).
On the Myanmar side, it's determined by its Ministry of Education with the combination of older and larger to younger and smaller ones (University of Yangon, University of Mandalay, Kyaing Tong University, Mawlamyine University, Myeik University, Sittway University, and Taunggyi University).
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