Asst. Prof. Dr. Phanompatt Smitananda, Member of the University Council and Acting President of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, along with Mrs. Rattip Phukkeson, Head of Internationalization Development, Department of International Affairs (the OU5 coordinator for STOU), and five STOU researchers – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gan Chanyawudhiwan, Office of Educational Technology; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pithak Srisuksai, School of Economics; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anothai Ngamvichaikit, School of Management Science; Asst. Prof. Dr. Songlak Sakulwichitsintu, School of Liberal Arts; and Asst. Prof. Dr. Supamas Chumkaew, Office of Registration, Records and Evaluation – attended The OU5 Retreat 2025 held from 22-26 April 2025, in Penang, Malaysia.
The bi-annual meeting welcomed Presidents, researchers, and OU5 coordinators from five member universities: Hanoi Open University (HOU); Open University Malaysia (OUM); University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU); Universitas Terbuka (UT) and Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU). The objective was to develop distance learning and joint research among the members.
The meeting included a Presidents’ Meeting and the 2nd meeting on the research topics
for 2024, which are:
1. Technology Trends in Education: Nano Learning, Authentic Online Assessment, Gamification, Blockchain and Others (and How AI Will Impact These Technologies);
2. Open University Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future: A Design in View of Fulfillment of SDG 11;
3. Roles of ASEAN Open Universities in Enhancing Entrepreneurship and Global Presence;
4. Roles of Open Universities in STEM Education (Way Forward with a Focus on the State of Gender Equality in ASEAN);
5. Student-Lecturer Ratio as a Parameter of Quality in OFDL Context (What Are the Factors that Determine the Quality of Open Universities?).
Additionally, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity involving tree planting and waste collection in front of the hotel was organized.
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University will host the next meeting, now renamed as the 27th OU5 Bi-Annual Summit. The summit is scheduled to take place in Phuket, Thailand,
from 27-31 October 2025.
