SIS partners with Siam University

A memorandum of understanding was recently signed between the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Information Science and Siam University in Bangkok, Thailand.  The agreement includes the exchange of students and faculty between the universities and will be effective for five years.  Additionally, it calls for the exchange of educational and scholarly materials as well as collaboration on a number of research and special projects. More information about the program at Siam can be found at http://phd-it.siam.edu/

A number of  SIS professors have already visited Bangkok as part of the exchange of faculty.  Dr. James Williams, Professor Emeritus, went to the university in the spring to assist with Siam University’s development of a Doctoral Program in Information Technology for E-Business.  Dr. Williams helped the Siam faculty to create the curriculum and kicked off the program by teaching its first class in May.

Dr. Stephen Hirtle, Professor at SIS, Dr Paul Munro, Associate Professor at SIS, Dr. Michael Spring, Associate Professor at SIS, and Dr. Bob Regan, visiting Research Professor and VISC Project Manager, have also visited Siam University over the last year to teach doctoral courses.  Dr. Spring taught an E-Business course and Dr. Regan taught a doctoral course on Geographic Information Systems while in Bangkok. Regan is pictured at the left (top) with the Siam doctoral students.  The Siam PhD students are Phaisarn  Sutheebanjard, Wimol  Kasempatanakarn, Nipat  Jongsawat, Pittaya  Poompuang, and Anuchar  Tungkasthan   Spring is pictured at the left (bottom) with three SIS PhD graduates he had a chance to have dinner with while he was in Bnagkok.  They are, from the left, Bordin Sapsomboon, MD, PhD, Assistant Dean, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Assadaporn Nuchprayoon, PhD, Associate Professor, Chulalonkorn University and Vichita (Vathanophas) Ractham, PhD, Assistant Professor Mahidol University.

SIS also has a partnership with the University of Mysore in Bangalore, India as well as with the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT).  Such international programs are critical to providing meaningful research and educational experiences for faculty and students in the information science field, mirroring the globalization of the IT industry.