Prowibo in Thailand

Overview

We taught our first programme in Thailand with local partner – Srinakharinwirot University (SWU) in 2017. This programme marked our first programme in Asia. The programme included short courses on Presentation Skills, Communication Skills, Research Methodologies, and Teaching Methodologies. We have returned to Thailand in 2018, 2019 and 2022. In 2019, Prowibo held a conference on the 2nd July on “Women, Development and Higher Education”, in partnership with SWU and LSEIdeas, in Bangkok.

Latest Programmes

SWU Bangkok/Pattaya 7-9 September

The three-day retreat with SWU provided undergraduate students from various departments with the opportunity to deeply examine the UN SDGs and think critically about how they can address them as change makers in their communities. It took students into the field to consider practical applications of their knowledge, and the various activities built their critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills.

Partner

MJU Chiang Mai
11-12 September

Learners at MJU had an eye-opening introduction to the SDGs and examined their local, national, and regional communities with fresh eyes while flexing their English language and communication skills.

Partner

Programme Description

To make significant changes by 2030, we need to do a lot of unlearning. Business as usual is no longer an option, and neither is education as usual. ‘Learner autonomy’, ‘group work’, ‘project work’, and ‘communication tasks’ are all based on a vision of learning that encourages students to be active doers and thinkers, rather than passive recipients of knowledge. This programme builds on a belief that students can ask their own questions, conduct surveys, carry out research and reflect on the kind of world they would like to live in. We will focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (UN 2030) as a part of a broader, international approach to learning, with a particular emphasis on the environment and equality.

Volunteer Professors

Rachel Warnick

Veerle Ponnet

MJU

Mae Jo University (MJU) was established in 1917 as an Agricultural Primary Teachers’ Training School. Growing throughout the years into Maejo Agricultural Technology Institute, in 1996 it was established as a Maejo University, to expand the scope of education and create greater academic and administrative flexibility. Currently, bachelor’s to doctorate degrees are offered with a wide range of disciplines in addition to agriculture, where Maejo has specialised expertise in practice since the period of vocational education. MJU is committed to educating its students to be graduates rich in wisdom, enduring work, being virtuous and ethical for the prosperity of Thai society with agriculture as a foundation.

Veerle Ponney

Veerle is the Academic Director for Dusemond Study Programmes. She has a Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics to Teaching English as a Foreign Language, She is a certified Neurolanguage Coach and Life Coach, holds a Master’s degree in Educational Neuroscience,
and has completed the Oxford University – Said Business School Executive Leadership programme. Her vision and expertise draw on insights from the world of Neuroscience. All her programmes promote a growth mindset, task-based learning, with emphasis on empowering students to see the positive potential for growth in both themselves and others. She is a passionate educator and language expert, and speaks English, Spanish, Dutch,
German, and French. You can learn more from her TEDxTalk here.

Partners

MJU

Students by the numbers

Students Taught

Contact Hours

Reflections

Volunteer

“Thailand, with its amazing culture and breath-taking landscapes, became the backdrop for my first-time collaboration with Professors Without Borders! This journey was not just about work and the sustainable development goals; it was about forging friendships and being part of something bigger. The experience will forever hold a special place in my heart. Thank you.”

Veerle Ponnet – 2023 Volunteer Professor for SWU and MJU

Students

“Great, great initiative. I’m glad I attended.”

“This was very informative. I
loved it!”

“Wonderful, relevant, and timely workshop. Thank you very much Africa Healing Foundation and Professors Without Borders”

Partner

“As the [community] workshop drew to a close, we witnessed a heartwarming spectacle. The seniors, who had embarked on this journey of self-discovery and healing with us, came together in a beautiful display of gratitude. They danced with their hearts wide open and sang with voices that echoed the depths of their appreciation.”

Sipim Sornbalang