USK Welcomes Delegation from the Royal Thai Embassy
Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK) welcomed a delegation from the Royal Thai Embassy in Indonesia in a meeting held at the Mini Rector’s Meeting Room, Darussalam, Banda Aceh, on Tuesday, 10 March 2026. The meeting served as an important opportunity to strengthen cooperation in the fields of education, research, and human resource development between Indonesia and Thailand.
The delegation from the Royal Thai Embassy was led by Chargé d’affaires Hathaichanok Riddhagni Frumau, accompanied by Military Attaché Supakarn Jindawat, Minister Counsellor Arisa Kiatchaiisara, First Secretary Samita Noonpakdee, and Education Assistant Rian Juwita. The delegation was welcomed by the Vice Rector for Planning, Partnership, and Business of USK, Prof. Dr. Ir. Taufiq S., M.Eng., IPU, along with members of the university leadership.
In his remarks, Prof. Taufiq stated that USK has long maintained close relations with students from Thailand. Since 2012, the university has consistently welcomed Thai students to pursue their studies, particularly those from Southern Thailand such as Patani. Most of them study at the Faculty of Medicine, while others are enrolled at the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, especially in the English Education Study Program.
“Currently, USK hosts around 76 active students from Thailand across various faculties. Their presence plays an important role in enriching cultural diversity on campus and strengthening the friendship between the people of Indonesia and Thailand,” said Prof. Taufiq.
Meanwhile, Hathaichanok Riddhagni Frumau expressed her appreciation for the development of USK, which she noted continues to grow and plays an important role in producing high-quality human resources in Aceh. She also expressed her pride that the majority of international students at USK come from Thailand, particularly those pursuing studies in the field of medicine.
“We are committed to continuing our support for Thai students studying in Aceh while strengthening cooperation with USK. Aceh is one of the regions in Indonesia that has close ties with the Thai community and can serve as an example for developing cooperation in other regions,” she said.
The Royal Thai Embassy delegation also encouraged Thai students studying at USK to actively participate in academic activities and other campus programs. The embassy also invited the university and its faculties to continue providing support so that these students can develop optimally during their studies in Aceh.
On the same occasion, the Chairman of the Office of International Affairs Universitas Syiah Kuala, Muzailin Affan, presented the profile and internationalization progress of USK. In his presentation, he explained that USK is a public university established in 1961 and currently holds the status of a Legal Entity State University (PTNBH) with “Excellent” accreditation.
He also noted that USK currently has tens of thousands of students, including more than one hundred international students from various countries. Thailand is among the countries with the highest number of students pursuing their studies at the university.
According to him, USK also actively strengthens international collaboration through various regional networks, including IMT-GT UNINET, which connects universities in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Through this network, USK has established academic partnerships with several universities in Thailand, such as Prince of Songkla University and Thaksin University, along with several other institutions.
These collaborations cover various joint programs, including collaborative research, student and staff exchanges, international conferences, and cross-border community service initiatives.
Through this meeting, both parties expressed their hope that the existing partnership will continue to expand through broader academic collaboration, strengthened research initiatives, and the development of human resource capacity at the regional level. USK also reaffirmed its commitment to becoming a strategic partner in strengthening educational networks between Indonesia and Thailand and promoting broader collaboration within the ASEAN region.
