Following intensive negotiations, the management team of the College of Local Administration (COLA) travelled to China to finalise academic collaboration with Professor Yan Jinming, Dean, and Professor Qin Bo, Associate Dean, alongside the executive team of the School of Public Administration and Policy (SPAP) at Renmin University of China. SPAP at Renmin is recognised as the leading institution for public administration teaching and research in China, holding the 10th position globally in the relevant QS subject ranking as of June 2025.
Subsequently, both institutions agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the college level. This collaboration aims to drive concrete and sustainable activities across student development, research, teaching, and other areas:
- Student Exchange and International Workshops: COLA Master of Public Administration (MPA) students will participate in exchange programmes and an International Workshop focusing on public affairs and policy at SPAP, Renmin University. Reciprocally, SPAP will bring their MPA students and faculty members to COLA, Khon Kaen University (KKU), to conduct a workshop and International Field Experience focusing on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and regional development.
- Co-hosting Academic Conferences: The institutions will jointly host international academic conferences, including the COLA Public Affairs Conference in Khon Kaen and the SINO-American Universities Conference in Beijing.
- Joint Research Initiatives: Faculty members from both sides will form working groups to prepare joint research proposals covering Public Administration, Public Policy, Urban Planning, and Governance. The collaboration will specifically focus on seeking funding within the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation framework, with SPAP expressing full commitment to this development.
- International Webinar Series: The colleges will organise a COLA International Webinar Series, inviting specialist lecturers in Public Administration (PA) and Public Policy (PP) from both institutions to present and exchange findings. This initiative is designed to foster a robust research network.
- Scholarship Support: SPAP will support COLA undergraduate students interested in pursuing postgraduate studies at SPAP by facilitating their application for a full Chinese Government Scholarship (Full Scholarship). The scholarship will cover the International Master of Public Administration Programme at SPAP-Renmin.
- International Cooperative Education: The collaboration will support COLA undergraduate students undertaking international cooperative education in China and engaging in related activities aimed at enhancing internationalisation.
