01/26/2016．Wenzao Signs an MOU for Cross-border Industry-Academia Cooperation with Thailand’s Biggest Hotel and Department Store Conglomerate

　
　

　

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January , 26, 2016







【News release: Public Relations Office】

     
On January 25th, Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages signed a memorandum of understanding with Central Hospitality International (CHi), Thailand’s biggest hotel and department store conglomerate, marking the first cross-border industry-academia cooperation between the group and a Taiwan-based university. Wenzao has selected eight students with outstanding foreign language proficiency to be sent to hotels and resorts owned by the group in Pattaya, Phuket, and the Maldives. It is expected that more interns will be sent to the group’s hotels, department stores, convention centers, etc., for cross-border internship.
 　 
        During the signing ceremony, Wenzao’s President Shieu-Ming Chou, D.S.N., commented that CHi is not only the biggest hotel and department store group in Thailand, but also plays an important role in the tourism industry of Southeast Asia. The cross-border cooperation between CHi and Wenzao is therefore regarded as significantly meaningful. As the first university in Taiwan to cooperate with the group, Wenzao will take advantage of this opportunity to have its students engage in the tourism industry with international standards, and obtain a better understanding of Thailand’s culture. CHi’s excellent corporate image can also be introduced to Taiwan through this cooperation. This cooperation, which will benefit all parties involved, will facilitate profound exchanges between Thailand and Taiwan in education concerning tourism, hospitality, and retailing.
　　
        The signing ceremony was conducted by President Chou and CHi’s CEO Thirayuth Chirathivat. Director-general Wu-Chiao Hsieh and Political Division Chief Hsia-Li Lan of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand were also invited to the ceremony. Director-general Hsieh expressed his pleasure at witnessing this cross-border industry-academia cooperation and encouraged deeper long-term exchanges between the two signatories. CHi owns hotels, resorts, department stores, restaurants, boutiques, SPAs, convention centers, etc. It operates 46 hotels and resorts across Thailand and 21 resorts in such countries as Vietnam, Indonesia, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, in the Southeast Asian and Indian Ocean regions. The most well-known Central World, a shopping plaza in Bangkok, is also owned by the group.
　　
        All of the eight interns are students of Wenzao’s Department of English. During her introduction, Chairperson Janet I-Jane Weng of the department attributed the success of this cooperation to the strong support of Vice President Watt Chirathivat, who is in charge of CHi’s corporate image maintenance and promotion, and his wife, Mrs. Ju-Ling Lin. An alumna of Wenzao, Mrs. Lin has been living in Thailand after she was married. Over the years, she has been using the resources and channels of her family business to help Taiwanese businesspersons in Thailand expand their business internationally, assist overseas offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to improve Taiwan’s ties with Thailand and other countries. In addition, she devotes herself to philanthropy. Her efforts are widely recognized by people from all circles and have won her the privilege of Outstanding Alumni of 2015 of Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages. Through this opportunity, Mrs. Lin built a bridge of cooperation between Wenzao and CHi, which will be highly helpful to Wenzao students starting their careers in the job markets in Southeast Asia.
　　
       The eight interns, who were carefully selected and strictly trained, will be dispatched to CHi’s resorts in Pattaya, Phuket, and the Maldives for a six-month internship. If they do well, they will have the chance to stay in their jobs after graduation. CHi has also promised that in the future, Thai or international graduates from Wenzao will have the chance to work for the group. The announcement will serve as a great attraction for Wenzao to recruit international students.
　　
President Chou also visited two interns in Bangkok University, one of Wenzao’s sister schools, as well as Mater Dei School, another Ursuline school. She was warmly received by the faculty and students of both schools. Mater Dei School is a Catholic school with a long history. People still take delight in talking about the fact that before studying in Switzerland, Rama IX of Thailand studied in the kindergarten of Mater Dei.






Photos courtesy of Department of English/ Office of International and Cross-Strait Cooperation




 


 




 Wenzao delegation and Director-general Wu-Chiao Hsieh (second from the left), President Shieu-Ming Chou (second from the right), Chairperson Janet I-Jane Weng (first from the right), and Manager Aiden Yeh of the OICC (first from the left) 


President Chou (left) exchanging tokens with CHi’s CEO Thirayuth Chirathivat












Chairperson Weng presenting a token to Training Manager Puchong Dejarkom, CHi’s contact for this trip


President Chou and the delegation received by Vice President for Administrative Affairs Boonrod Vuthisatkul of Bangkok University during the visit of two Wenzao interns (first from the left and the right) in the university
 












Wenzao interns, and representatives and guests of both sides taking a group photo after the signing of the MOU


President Chou (third from the left) visiting Bangkok University and received by the former President Mathana Santiwat (third from the right) and the Director of International Affairs Panadda Unyapho (first from the left)












                    Students showing how the Thais greet guests


Wenzao delegation warmly received by faculty and students of the School of Communication Arts of Bangkok University
 












The grand ceremony reflecting the high attention attached by CHi to the signing of the MOU


CHi’s Vice President Xin-Fa Zheng (right at the rear row) and his wife Mrs. Zhu-Ling








      President Chou and the president of Mater Dei School on campus


 President Chou and Sumitra Phongsathorn, an adviser of Mater Dei School