FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas, on behalf of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences and its Department of Poultry Science, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Faculty of Agro-Industry, a subdivision of Panyapiwat Institute of Management in Nonthaburi, Thailand.

The two institutions will develop agreements to exchange academic, research and other educational materials related to poultry management; exchange students through reciprocal benefits, encourage active participating and working to minimize fees; establish a faculty in residence program for lecturing, conducting research, and developing academic and administrative skills; collaborative programs, seminars and research activities to the mutual interests and expertise of both institutions; and seek opportunities for financial resources to support the educational activities.

The agreement was finalized at the Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences Building on Aug. 29 and signed by Sharon Gaber, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs; Mike Vayda, dean of Bumpers College; Faculty Tiranun Srikanchai, dean of Agro-Industry; and Sombat Thiratrakoolchai of the Panyapiwat Institute of Management.

The agreement, which runs for an initial period of five years, was proposed through the Department of Poultry Science.

“The Panyapiwat Institute of Management issues bachelor’s degrees and was created by the C.P. Group in 2007,” said Mike Kidd, head of the Department of Poultry Science. “Throughout 2014, staff of the C.P. Group have been in communication with the Department of Poultry Science as they created the Faculty of Agro-Industry, of which poultry management will be a significant component. The C.P. Group represents the fifth-largest poultry company globally, and we are honored to help them design work-based learning models for students seeking poultry expertise at the Panyapiwat Institute of Management.”

This is the second memorandum of understanding poultry science has coordinated in the last year. Last fall, the U of A signed an agreement with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to form a partnership in filling the need for more graduates in the poultry sciences. The “3-plus-1 course curriculum” collaboration allows for agriculture majors with an animal science option at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to take poultry science classes at the U of A as seniors. Those courses will be recognized by UAPB’s School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences, and count toward degree requirements. At the same time, those students will earn a Poultry Science Undergraduate Certificate of Excellence from the U of A.