Nurse Trainers say farewell to Asian U in style.

After five weeks in Asian U’s English Immersion Programme, a group of ten Nurse Instructors from Nonthaburi have just left Asian university to return to their regular jobs. They joined forces with the undergraduate students to put on an excellent and entertaining show. The show was all in English, of course.

Twelve bankers from BAAC also left the university on the same day, after ten weeks of Intensive English, tailored to their needs.

Students and staff from the university and the College at Asian U filled the auditorium to enjoy the show.

The nurses sang and acted out sketches, and then presented hearts and roses to staff and students. The undergraduates also sang and then performed sketches that they had written about some of the differences between Thai and other cultures.

The photos (thank you Qatar) show some of the acts.

Asian U in SIFE National Finals

The SIFE team

Over the past few months a team from Asian University has been setting up their own SIFE project. Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) is a global non-profit organisation which was established in 2000. SIFE Thailand was founded in 2004 with KPMG, the Stock Exchange of Thailand, The Nation and HSBC as the main sponsors. The students learn about business management, financial responsibility, market economics and ethics.

The SIFE group with Sambandid villagers

Asian U’s project, Char-Chain Reaction, is to establish the Sambandid District, Ayuthaya as a model of organic agriculture by spreading knowledge of organic products to interested groups y permanent exhibitions. In particular they have concentrated on improving the production, packaging, marketing and use of wood vinegar, produced as an organic by-product of charcoal burning.

Asian U SIFE members in Sambandid

From 27 to 29 June the Asian U team was in Bangkok for the Thai National SIFE final competition. After the opening round, the remaining 16 teams were divided into four groups, and Asian U came first in their group. Each round of the competition had a different set of judges, all from well-known successful international and local companies. The students gave a presentation, in English, and answered questions in a professional manner. They showed samples of their wood vinegar, brand name “Awake” which has been produced and sold in Sambandid.

On the final day Far Eastern University were declared the winners (with a project to help HIV infected women and young people in Chiang Mai market their funeral flower arrangements) and they will go to New York later this year for the international finals. Asian U had beaten both the winning team and the first runner-up on the preceding day.

Pan Pan (Left) and Job

This is the first time that Asian U has participated in this competition, and the students have gained a lot from the experience. They spent a month in Ayuthaya, working with the local people, visiting local officials, schools, farmers and then teaching people about the project and how it can be sustained.

They were able to compete in a National competition and come away with heads held high.

Collecting condensate from the charcoal kiln

A typical kiln

Thanks to Ninja for the photos show which the students working in Ayuthaya and the SIFE team.

Big, X, Wen and Pan Pan become teachers

Soonthorn Phu’s Memorial Day at the College

26 June is the anniversary of the birth of one of Thailand’s favourite poets.

Soonthorn Phu was born in the fifth year of the reign of King Rama I, and his father was a native of Muang Klaeng in Rayong Province.

On 26 June 2007, the pupils of the College at Asian U celebrated the poet with an afternoon of activities.

They set up stalls to demonstrate their skills at classical handicrafts, using flowers and local materials. Some of the students played Thai instruments and gave a recital of tuneful Thai classical music.

Some of the boys had Thai hobby-horses made from bamboo and banana stems. Others showed their skills walking on upside-down coconut shells threaded with string. The pupils were joined by Asian U students and staff.

In the auditorium the youngsters performed Thai dance, recited prose and poetry by Praya Sri Soonthorn Phu. The photos show some of the activities.

Retro Night for the 2007 Bye Nior

Elvis (Putt) and Chert
Nat sings!

Retro night: Asian U graduates’ farewell party. Sanz and First

This year’s Bye Nior (short for Goodbye Seniors) party was held on the evening of Saturday 5 May at the Asiawan Hotel in Naklua. This annual party is hosted by the third year students to give the fourth year graduating students a good send off. With tasty food, good company and plenty of entertainment, it was a very enjoyable evening.

Keith and King Jai of Retro

Students and staff dressed in 50s and 60s costumes to fit the Retro theme of the evening. The entertainment (by the students) and the music were mostly from the same era. Having just finished their end-of-year exams, the students relaxed and danced and sang and acted. Presentations were made to many of the fourth year students, and there were special sports trophies for some of the departing youngsters who had represented their university over the past four or five years.

Tee and Noi

An award for excellence (in basketball and other sports) was given to Tee, who has successfully taken part in many of the sporting activities as well as completing his engineering degree. Khun Panit, the University vice president, and two of the faculty Deans (Dr. Apichat and Ajarn Robert) gave very short speeches.

Apart from many of the current students, some Asian U alumni and others, who had only attended the University for a short time, came along to see their friends again.

The third year students are to be congratulated on arranging an excellent evening, and a special thanks to First (3rd year BA) who was a competent and entertaining MC.

Records broken at Summer Camp

180 campers ready to learn and have funTwo of the young campers

The first of two, yearly, month-long camps started on 15 March and set a new record with 180 students attending. In the past, the University has hosted around 130 youngsters per camp. This year, however, due to the very high standard of English taught by native speaking teachers along with the numerous sports and other fun activities on offer, the programme has set an all time record.Teachers and their Teaching AssistantsThe sack race, Asian U style.

The photographs show the campers taking part in some of the many activities on offer, and their smiles.

See the fish in the aquarium.

Tears at the presentation: just like the Oscar winners!

In addition to the normal programme, the campers were given a free level assessment test for either Asian University, undergraduate or graduate programmes, or ‘The College at Asian U’ programmes from Mathayom 3 thru to 6.

Great dancing

The President of the university Dr Viphandh Roengpithya has kindly offered 50% scholarships for the best 20% of the candidates.

Dancing lessons

Asian U has obviously hit upon a very popular way to educate the youth of Thailand in a fun and fresh manner to improve their English, along with Mathematics and Information Technology.

Cooking classes, measuring the ingredients.

The second camp starts on Monday 16 April and run through to 13 May.
And some of them actually flew!Fun cassroom activities

Asian Experience: Winter University 2007

Elephant riding in Na Jomtien

Asian University hosted its bi-annual 3 week international “Asian Experience” programme from February 5 - 25. MBA students from Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic were trained in Cross cultural management, Asian economics and Asian marketing.

Enjoying the beach at Bang Saray

The students enjoyed their first week in the Thai capital, visiting the Royal palace, having a dinner at the polo club and indulging themselves in Bangkok’s nightlife.

On the steps at Asian U

Practical business experience was given to the participants by executive managers at the company visits to Siam Paragon in Bangkok and to the Sheraton Resort in Pattaya.

At the Sheraton Resort, Pattaya

Back at Asian University campus the students tried different Thai cultural activities. Whether it was cooking Tom Yum, working out at Muay Thai or practising Pasat Thai, they enjoyed their Thai experience enormously.

Thai boxing in the sports hall

Relaxing at the beach was part of the programme as well as riding on Thailand’s most famous animal, the elephants. The participants stayed at the campus for a few days and then in the Welcome Jomtien Beach Hotel.

But nothing will stay as deep in the participants’ memories as the Thai hospitality and the “mai pen rai”.

Karaoke after the Farewell dinner

Asian University is looking forward to two Summer University sessions in July and August this year. The programme is open to all international students and people with working experience. For further information please visit Asian University’s website www.asianust.ac.th/summeruniversity