Thailand – Louisiana Agriculture Exchange Program: Louisiana State University AgCenter and Kasetsart University

An informal exchange program was established in 2005 between Kasetsart University (Bangken and Kampaengsan campuses) and the LSU Agricultural Center.  Kasetsart University graduate students were offered internships during the summer months with LSU faculty and in exchange a three-week study abroad class in agriculture was offered for LSU students.  The LSU in Thailand is an international study abroad program that provides students an opportunity to learn abroad the issues involved in sustainable agricultural development as well as to provide cultural and intellectual enrichment.  This course is designed for undergraduate and graduate students in agriculture and renewable natural resources during the summer session.  The course has been taught for 3 years and involved participation by agriculture faculty at two campuses of Kasetsart University.  The student participants demonstrated increased knowledge after the program and appreciated the opportunity to study agriculture first hand in another country and also the culture and peoples of Thailand.  The intern program has been conducted every summer in order to provide Thai agriculture graduate students an opportunity to work in research programs at the university during the summer months. The interns are compensated in order to support themselves while living and working in the US. The success of the intern program is exemplified by the interest in LSU faculty willing to host Thai students.  Due to the success of the study abroad and intern programs, the informal exchange program is now in the process of being formalized at the university level.