On 5 July 2005, a group of the researchers from ASEAN countries and the Pacific Islands who received scholarships from BIOTEC under the “Human Resource Development Program for Neighboring Countries 2005” has arrived in Thailand Science Park. The group was welcomed by Dr. Ruud Valyasevi, BIOTEC Deputy Director and the trainees’ lab supervisors, with attendance of the representatives from the Thailand International Cooperation Agency: TICA, representative from the embassy of Vietnam, Prof. Toshiomi Yoshida, Director of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Bangkok Office.

BIOTEC has been operating this HRD Program for Neighboring Countries since 2001, to support the national policy to assist neighboring countries and to support ASEAN policy for more advanced countries to help build up capacity in the less advanced countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam). Each year, we provide about 10-15 scholarships a year to invite researchers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to obtain training at research lab in Thailand, mostly at BIOTEC Central Research Unit at Thailand Science Park.  

This year, we have provided 13 scholarships, made up of 11 scholarships for 3-month fundamental training and 2 scholarships for 6-to-12-month advanced training.   This year we also received a special request from the UNESCO Office for the Pacific Islands to send two researchers from Fiji and Samoa to participate in the 3-month program with sponsorship from the New Zealand Government.  The topics of training this year ranges from plant cell technology, food safety analysis, food biotechnology, enzyme technology and biodiversity study.  In addition to hand-on lab work with BIOTEC researchers who will be giving training and guidance to the trainees, site visits to a winery, a national park, a flower company, research labs in universities as well as a cultural program are arranged for trainees to gain extensive experience and appreciation in the subject and the Thai culture at the same time. 

More information on the HRD Program for Neighboring Countries can be found at: http://www.biotec.or.th/EN/index.php/international-collaboration/hrd-program