New Graduate Programs In Petrochemical Technology And In Polymer Science At Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand An International Academic Partnership

In 1992, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, entered into an academic partnership with three U.S. universities (Case Western Reserve University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Oklahoma) to develop and offer graduate programs at the master degree level in petrochemical technology and in polymer science. Students were admitted to the program and the first classes were offered in 1993. The first group of students graduated in July 1995. The graduate programs as conceived and implemented are international in nature. Instruction is in the English language and curriculum content and thesis requirements are typical of those required in engineering graduate programs at major U. S. universities. Course instructors for the first two years of the program have been faculty from the partnership U.S. universities. Eventually, a near fifly-fifly distribution of U. S. and Thai faculty instruction is anticipated. Thesis research is conducted under U. S. and Thai faculty co-advisors, and the theses are written in English. The program has received strong support from the government of Thailand and Thai industry. In 1993, the partnership was awarded a USAID, University Development Linkages Project (UDLP) grant. This paper reviews the feasibility studies and planning for these graduate programs and the academic partnership. and it describes our experiences with the program through the first two and one-half years of operation.