International exchange between Thai and Japanese students as a part of an environmental research project
2023-09-13, 09:40– (Asia/Tokyo), Terrsa Hall B

National Institute of Technology, Yuge College (NITYC) has formed a partnership with Nakhon Phanom University (NPU) and continues to participate in short-term exchange programs. The two colleges share a common issue related to environmental surveys of water bodies, as NITYC is located near the Seto Inland Sea and NPU is located near the Mekong River. The Mekong River has undergone rapid changes in recent years due to upstream dam construction and other developments, and environmental surveys of the river are urgently needed. A project aimed to develop a system related to this issue has being carried out through the collaborative efforts of teachers and students from both colleges. In the past as a part of the project, an experiment was done with an autopiloted "environmental research ship" that scanned the bottom of the Mekong River. The project not only promotes the development of students' technical skills but also cultivates an international perspective and communication skills.

This paper outlines our short-term study abroad project between NITYC and NPU that aims to address the environmental survey of the Mekong River. In this term, the project focuses on the development of an Arduino-based "water supply system" and "pH survey system" to conduct water quality surveys of the Mekong River. The survey parameters include pH, COD, iron, total hardness, nitrite, and the number of coliform bacteria present. In addition to the joint development of the system, the students engaged in paper research, presentations, report writing, and recreational activities with Thai students to enhance their skills as international engineers.
Finally, to assess the effectiveness of our project, we have compiled the results of a survey of students.


This paper presents a study abroad project between National Institute of Technology, Yuge College and Nakhon Phanom University, focused on addressing the urgent need for environmental surveys of the Mekong River and the international exchange. The project involved the development of an Arduino-based water supply and pH survey system to conduct water quality surveys, as well as paper research, presentations, and report writing. The project aimed to promote the development of students' technical skills and cultivate an international perspective and communication skills. Additionally, the paper highlights the results of a survey of students to assess the effectiveness of the project.


Keywords

International exchange, cooperative study, Environmental research, Technical cooperation, Water-quality survey

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I am an associate professor in the Department of Information Technology. My major is image processing.