On 9-10 September 2015, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) in cooperation with Hanoi Open University (HOU) and Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Open Learning Centre (SEAMEO SEAMOLEC) hosted the International Conference on Scientific Research (ICSR2015), in Nha Trang City, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.   

This conference provided an engaging forum for addressing issues, ideas and developments in the field of education through keynote speeches, paper presentations and other sessions. The theme of the conference is “Role of Higher Education in Human Resource Development”.  All of the papers fit into this theme by addressing the following sub-themes; Challenges in Distance Education, Distance Education in Vocational Education, Assessment and Evaluation: Assisted Technology, and the Technological Dimension of a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course).

On 9 September 2015, Sir John Daniel and Stamenka Uvalić-Trumbić, gave a keynote speech outlining “Distance Learning and Human Resource Development: What does the Research Tell Us?”. Moreover, the conference gave participants an opportunity to share experiences and exchange ideas with educational leaders, university administrators, academics and researchers via panel discussion entitled “How Distance Education Support Human Resource Development in ASEAN and Challenges in 21st Century”, for which the speakers were President of Open University Malaysia, Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Anuwar Ali, Rector of Universitas Terbuka, Prof. Dr. Tian Belawati, Chancellor of University of the Philippines Open University, Dr. Grace Javier Alfonso, Academic Staff Expert of Minister, Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education, Prof. Dr. Paulina Pannen, and moderated by Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration from University of the Philippines Open University, Dr. Jean A. Saludadez.

Four STOU delegates presented papers were Assoc. Prof. Dr.  Boontip Siritarungsri from the School of Nursing, Assoc. Prof. Chantana Thongprayoon from the School of Communication Arts, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chalabhorn Suwansumrit from the Office of Educational Technology, and Dr. Kunchon Jeotee from the Office of Registrations, Record and Evaluations. Moreover, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chailerd Pichitpornchai, STOU President, chaired the keynote session and Asst. Dr. Monwipa Wongrujira, Assistant to the STOU President, chaired one of the concurrent sessions.

The conference was a great success. All activities were highly beneficial to the participants an excellent opportunity for exchanging perspectives and experiences as well as for networking with university administrators, academics and researchers from around Asia.

Further to the ICSR2015, on 8 September 2015, HOU hosted the OU5 Presidents in the topic of the Guidelines for MOOCs and other collaborative endeavors, the meeting of the OU5 Collaborative Research Teams as well as the meeting for ASEAN Journal of Open and Distance Learning (AJODL).