The Ambassador of Thailand to the United Kingdom, Pisanu Suvanajata, recently visited the University of Manchester Innovation Centre (UMIC) to explore opportunities for international education and research partnerships in Southeast Asia.
During his visit to UMIC’s Grafton Street facility, Suvanajata expressed a keen interest in Graphene research. He remarked, “The University of Manchester is a world-renowned institution.” He further highlighted the insights gained from the tour, stating, “During a fascinating tour of The University of Manchester Innovation Centre, I was given insight into the state-of-the-art laboratory spaces which are home to a number of start-ups and SMEs. Fortunately, I was able to meet UMIC members of staff and some of the people behind a few of the start-up companies housed there.”
UMIC, which boasts three core facilities—the Manchester Incubator Building, the Core Technology Facility, and the North Campus Incubator known as ‘The Arches’—plays a pivotal role in supporting innovation. These facilities collectively house several start-ups, including Kaya Travel, Greenlight Computer, Frontier PR, Dexter Intelligence, App Focus, and Siyemi. The ambassador noted UMIC’s contribution to Manchester’s culture of enterprise and innovation, stating, “UMIC is certainly helping Manchester to further bolster the city region’s culture of enterprise and innovation.”
The Ambassador’s visit was accompanied by Rithavee Plikarnon, Thai Airways assistant general manager, and First Secretary Piyapathu Ruktanonchai. Head of UMIC, Yvonne Loughlin, described the visit as “inspirational” and detailed the collaborative discussions held. “After a short tour of the UMIC facilities, we sat down and discussed ways we could collaborate and work together, which is fantastic,” she said. Loughlin expressed enthusiasm about the potential benefits of this collaboration for both UMIC and Thailand, adding, “We are very excited about what this collaboration will bring to both UMIC and to Thailand. For the staff at UMIC, as well as the innovative companies based here, it was certainly inspiring to meet the ambassador and his team and to share stories too.”
This visit underscores the ongoing efforts to forge international partnerships and enhance innovation through collaborative research and educational initiatives. The meeting signifies a promising step forward in strengthening ties between the United Kingdom and Thailand, particularly in the realms of technology and enterprise.