Highlights

As global higher education undergoes its most dramatic upheaval in decades—with traditional destinations losing ground amid geopolitical tensions, financial strain, and dwindling clinical teaching capacity—Asia is rapidly emerging as a rising force, opening new opportunities for countries like Thailand to position themselves as regional hubs for healthcare education. While Western universities face visa restrictions, funding shortfalls, and shortages of clinical educators, institutions across Asia are strengthening their research output, international rankings, and appeal to global students. Against this backdrop, Thailand’s strong healthcare sector, abundant clinical expertise, and growing research capability present a unique window to attract international students—provided key reforms in internationalization, academic hiring, and program development are pursued. 

In a groundbreaking medical achievement for Thailand, veterinarians from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Veterinary Science have successfully implanted a pacemaker in a cat for the first time in the country. The procedure, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anusak Kijtawornrat, from the Department of Physiology, marks a new milestone in advanced veterinary cardiology and demonstrates Thailand’s growing capability in high-precision animal healthcare. 

The CU Innovation Hub has supported Chulalongkorn University alumni behind “Molly Ally,” a plant-based ice cream brand, by providing technical knowledge and innovation support. With this assistance, the team refined their formula to achieve a smoother texture, prevent ice crystallization, and extend shelf life naturally—creating an ice cream that’s both delicious and healthy for consumers. 

Chulalongkorn University has developed Chulaverse, a virtual world platform consisting of CV World, where users can create their own avatars, explore Chulalongkorn University campuses, and participate in 3D activities, and CV Learn, a virtual classroom platform featuring a variety of immersive content. The goal is to become a leading platform for lifelong learning promotion. 

Thailand’s oceans are among the most diverse in the world, yet much of their story remains untold. While coral reefs often steal the spotlight, the true picture of marine biodiversity is far more complex—and far less understood. Dr. Rahul Mehrotra, alumnus of Chulalongkorn University and Research Director at the Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center (ATMEC), is rewriting what we thought we knew about Thailand’s oceans.

The success of the “Rugose Frog Farming Project” under the ongoing efforts of the Center of Learning Network for the Region of Chulalongkorn University has gone beyond just promoting careers and generating income for farmers. A particularly proud achievement has emerged in Sa Nian Subdistrict, Nan Province, where frogs raised through the project have grown rapidly and reached substantial sizes. After only 3–4 months of farming, some frogs reached weights of up to 800 grams (1.76 pounds) – the largest and most robust ever recorded in the area. This result has greatly boosted the pride of residents and farmers in Nan Province. 

Amid growing concerns over waste and climate change, Pinrat Pinweha, a Ph.D. student in Chulalongkorn University’s Technopreneurship and Innovation Management Program (CU TIP), has pioneered an innovative solution by creating “synthetic leather from coffee grounds.” By combining discarded coffee waste with Thai natural rubber, her eco-friendly innovation offers a sustainable alternative to traditional animal and plastic-based leathers, significantly reducing carbon emissions. The project, which recently earned a silver medal and a special award at the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2024, exemplifies how Thailand’s local resources and creativity can contribute to a circular and low-carbon economy for a greener future. 

For the first time in Thailand, the BALAC Program at Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, now features a course titled “Dracula and Modern Culture” where students can connect interdisciplinary arts in their analysis of Gothic literature to better understand modern culture. The Program draws over 300 applicants each year, with only 120 accepted.

Anatomy instructors at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, have developed Zero Formalin (ZF)—a formalin-free animal specimen preservation solution—to create safer classrooms and reduce health risks for students and staff. The solution is now used for all animal bodies in anatomy classes. 

Across the Asia-Pacific, millions of girls face barriers that limit their potential — and change cannot wait. Dr. Christina Warning, a distinguished alumna of Chulalongkorn University and Asia-Pacific Team Leader for Plan International in Germany, has dedicated her career to one mission: amplifying “the woman’s voice, the girl’s voice.”

A student team from Nutrinex, Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, has developed “Pork Knuckle Trio”—a nutritious alternative to traditional braised pork leg.  Designed for the elderly, the product is high in protein but low in sodium, fat, and sugar. The product won Second Runner-up in the FoSTAT Food Innovation Contest 2025, a national-level food product innovation competition, under the theme “Food Innovation for the Silver Generation.” 

A lecturer at the Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, has discovered teeth fossils of hyenas, orangutans, and several other mammals, aged between 200,000 – 100,000 years in a cave in Krabi. These form an important piece of evidence indicating that the South of Thailand was once large grasslands mixed with forests during the Ice Age and may have been a migration route for Homo erectus moving from Africa to the Java islands. 

The Center of Excellence in Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, has launched one of the world’s first projects to perform long-read whole genome sequencing in newborns. The initiative screens for 113 genetic diseases, with the goal of early prevention and treatment, opening a new frontier in precision medicine and improving lifelong health outcomes. 

A lecturer from the Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, has invented the MICROCAP air purifier, which uses photosynthetic algae to absorb carbon dioxide and produce 20 times more oxygen than trees. 

“Smart Salt,” an innovative low-sodium salt developed by Paul Patsapong Chomchey, Ph.D. candidate at Chulalongkorn University and Executive MBA alumnus, has won a Gold Medal and Special Award at the 2025 Silicon Valley International Invention Festival. Using Nano Chitosan technology, Smart Salt cuts sodium by more than half while preserving full flavor, offering a breakthrough solution to the global health challenge of excessive salt consumption. 

Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) has captured global attention as a unique development philosophy, emphasizing holistic well-being over mere economic metrics. Yet, as Mr. Namgay Tshering, Former Finance Minister of Bhutan and alumnus of Chulalongkorn University’s Master of Public Health program, points out, the concept often raises questions: “People tend to ask whether every Bhutanese is happy. GNH is not about individual happiness alone—it’s about collective wellbeing, sustainability, and inclusivity.”

Chula ARi, an integrated interdisciplinary project for an urban aging society, uses research to return data to communities and co-develop a comprehensive elderly care model covering economics, society, health, environment, and innovation. The project also encourages pre-senior citizens to prepare early for the challenges of a rapidly aging population. 

The C2F, or Second Century Fund, of Chulalongkorn University supports research that addresses social, environmental, economic, and national policy challenges. In 2025, over 1,000 scholarships will be awarded, with nearly 700 million baht allocated to drive academic advancement and move the university to world-class status. 

The Chulalongkorn Bariatric and Metabolic Institute (Chula BMI) launched ObesityConnects, a Line Official platform to connect obesity patients to continuous treatment from specialists, while offering preventative information and daily health check-up features for the public who wish to stave off obesity.

A research team from Chulalongkorn University has developed a new herbal-based alternative to reduce the risk of prostate enlargement, highlighting the Crinum species and Black Galingale as targeted inhibitors of disease mechanisms without affecting sexual performance. This award-winning research earned an international gold medal and created new opportunities to advance Thai herbal medicine in the global health market.