On 23 September 2026, Prof. Dr. Yodchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), met with the Hon. Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Assistant Minister for Immigration of Australia, along with Mr. Pablo Kang, Australian Ambassador to Thailand; Mr. Andrew Egan, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Australia in Thailand; and their delegation at Government House. The meeting discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between Thailand and Australia in higher education, science, research and innovation. Representatives from various agencies under MHESI also attended the meeting, including Assoc. Prof. Wongkot Wongsapai, Vice President of NXPO.
The discussion builds on the Joint Statement on Deepening Economic Engagement between Thailand and Australia, signed by the leaders of the two countries in August 2026. Cooperation in higher education, science, research and innovation can support workforce development, future technologies, and the utilization of research outcomes. Under this framework, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) signed a Letter of Intent for Cooperation on 19 August 2026 to advance joint research, researcher and personnel exchanges, and strategic cooperation in areas with strong potential for cooperation, including future foods, precision agriculture, water management, clean energy, batteries, and the circular economy.
During the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Wongkot presented three areas of cooperation currently being advanced by NXPO: 1) Education and Learning Quality Assurance: Exploring Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) as a model for adaptation to NXPO’s STEMPlus platform; 2) Mental Health Systems: Exploring Australia’s Orygen platform as a reference for developing policy recommendations to address mental health issues in Thai higher education institutions; and 3) Innovation in Food for Sustainability: Advancing the Thailand–Australia Innovation in Food for Sustainability (IF4S) initiative, which connects research organizations and funding agencies in both countries to develop joint research, connect experts, and translate research outcomes into practical applications.
The discussion strengthened the link between policy-level cooperation and implementation by agencies in both countries and created opportunities to build on existing projects for broader and more sustained cooperation in workforce development, joint research, and the application of innovation. These efforts will provide a foundation for stronger, deeper, and more sustainable cooperation between Thailand and Australia in higher education, science, research and innovation.
During the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Wongkot presented three areas of cooperation being pursued by NXPO: 1) Education and Learning Quality Assurance: Exploring Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) as a model for adaptation to NXPO’s STEMPlus platform; 2) Mental Health Systems: Exploring Australia’s Orygen platform as a reference for developing policy recommendations to address mental health issues in Thai higher education institutions; and 3) Innovation in Food for Sustainability: Advancing the Thailand–Australia Innovation in Food for Sustainability (IF4S) initiative, which connects research organizations and funding agencies in both countries to develop joint research, connect experts, and translate research outcomes into practical applications.
The discussion strengthened the link between policy-level cooperation and implementation by agencies in both countries and created opportunities to build on existing projects for broader and more sustained cooperation in workforce development, joint research, and the application of innovation. These efforts will provide a foundation for stronger, deeper, and more sustainable cooperation between Thailand and Australia in higher education, science, research and innovation over the long term.
