Engineering CMU Joined IEDC 2025 in Japan Showcasing Innovation and Cross-Cultural Collaboration
The Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University, led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Korrakot Yaibuathet Tippayawong, Vice Dean and Director of the Chiang Mai International Engineering School (CM-IES), Asst. Prof. Dr. Faifan Tantakitti, Assistant Dean and Deputy Director of CM-IES together with the academic team:
- Pongsawat Premphet, Lecturer
- Adirek Baisukhan, Lecturer
- Miss Natthanan Phanbunplook, International Relations Officer
accompanied 6 undergraduate students:
- Miss Wanwalee Srichok – Environmental Engineering
- Anurak Narak – Mechanical Engineering
- Miss Chanuntorn Chiangpuan – Computer Engineering
- Miss Siripa Aungwattana – Information Systems & Network Engineering
- Pongpiriya Fuchareon – Information Systems & Network Engineering
- Miss Pattanan Siriworakul – Information Systems & Network Engineering
The delegation participated in the International Engineering Design Challenge (IEDC 2025), held from August 31 to September 8, 2025, in Noshiro City, Akita, Japan, hosted by Prof. Dr. Matsunobu Nomura of Akita University of Art.
About IEDC
The IEDC has been held annually since 2016, initiated through collaboration between Chiang Mai University and Muroran Institute of Technology in Japan. The network has since expanded to include partner universities from Thailand, Japan, and Taiwan, such as:
- Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University (CMU), Thailand
- Faculty of Logistics and Digital Supply Chain, Naresuan University (NU), Thailand
- Akita University of Art (AUA), Japan
- Kindai University (KU), Japan
- Muroran Institute of Technology (MIT), Japan
- National Taichung University of Science and Technology (NTCUST), Taiwan
The program aims to create opportunities for students and faculty to exchange academic knowledge, language, and culture, while fostering systematic thinking and innovative ideas that integrate both science and the arts.
This year, CMU students worked in multinational teams and explored Noshiro City, once a major timber industrial hub in Eastern Japan a century ago. They conducted field research and studied local cultural landmarks, including:
- KANEYU: a 135-year-old guesthouse and restaurant built from rare Akita cedar, officially recognized as a cultural property of Japan.
- Noshiro Basketball Library & Museum: a museum preserving memorabilia from the city’s renowned high school basketball team, believed to have inspired the famous manga and anime Slam Dunk.
The insights and experiences gathered were creatively transformed into short films under the theme “Designing Innovative Tourist Services Friendly to Foreigners”, aimed at promoting Noshiro as a charming destination for international visitors.
CMU students earned two prestigious awards:
- Miss Wanwalee Srichok – Newspaper Award for her creative daily reflections presented in a newspaper format.
- Miss Pattanan Siriworakul – Video Presentation Award for an impressive short film capturing the essence of Noshiro.
Following the program, CMU students also visited the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, themed “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”. This global platform showcased advanced technologies from around the world, helping students broaden their cross-cultural communication skills, strengthen awareness of social responsibility and sustainability, and align with CMU’s mission to develop high-quality graduates with international competitiveness and vision.
