KHON KAEN, THAILAND — A student from the Faculty of Engineering at Khon Kaen University has won national recognition with the Second Runner-Up award in the International Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education (CWIE) Student Project category. The award was given for an artificial intelligence innovation designed for early-stage glaucoma screening at the 16th CWIE DAY ceremony. Organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) to honour outstanding achievements in work-integrated learning, the event was held on 6 June 2026 at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok Province. 

        Mr. Thass Decharat, a student majoring in Telecommunication Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering at Khon Kaen University, secured the national runner-up position with his project titled “AI-Assisted Oblique Flashlight Test for Narrow Angle Screening”. TThis research applies artificial intelligence to improve the efficiency and accuracy of screening patients at risk of closed-angle glaucoma, one of the primary causes of irreversible blindness worldwide.

The project was developed during Mr. Decharat’s cooperative education internship at the Dongseo University Radiographic Imaging Optimization Laboratory (DSU RADiO LAB) in South Korea. It brought together competencies in telecommunication engineering, artificial intelligence and medical technology to build a practical, accessible, and non-invasive screening tool suitable for deployment in clinical settings.

        This achievement highlights the capacity of Khon Kaen University engineering students to translate technical knowledge into healthcare innovations that address real societal challenges, and demonstrates the effectiveness of the university’s international cooperative education framework in preparing graduates equipped to drive future technological progress.