Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) successfully hosted the 27th OU5 Bi-Annual Summit at the Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa, Phuket, Thailand, from 28–30 October 2025. The summit followed a dynamic week of research collaboration and academic exchange among Asia’s five leading open universities.
The event brought together leaders and researchers from the OU5, including Universitas Terbuka (UT), Hanoi Open University (HOU), University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), Open University Malaysia (OUM), and the host institution, STOU.
The distinguished leader delivered remarks included;
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norjaya Mohd Yasin, representing Prof. Dr. Ahmad Izanee Awang, Vice Chancellor of OUM.
- Prof. Dr. Joane Serrano, Chancellor of UPOU
- Dr. Hendrian, S.E., M.Si., Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, Partnership, and Business of UT
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Mai Huong, Chairwoman of the Board of Regents of HOU
The summit officially opened on 28 October with welcoming remarks by Asst. Prof. Dr. Taweewat Watthanakuljaroen, President of STOU. This was followed by a ceremonial exchange of gifts among the five OU5 leaders. Key highlights of the first day included presentations of the 2025 joint research project results, in-depth research meetings, and the OU5 Presidents’ Meeting.
The second day featured intensive collaboration and several significant announcements. A special recognition session was held to extend heartfelt congratulations to Yang Berbahagia Prof. Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Izanee Awang on the occasion of his conferment of a Dato’ship by His Royal Highness the Sultan of Pahang. The President of STOU presented a comprehensive summary of
the Presidents’ Meeting, while five OU5 research groups delivered progress reports on their ongoing collaborative projects.
The summit also officially announced that the 28th OU5 Meeting will be hosted by Hanoi Open University in Vietnam.
The day concluded with the official closing ceremony led by the President of STOU.
On the final day, executives and researchers from the five OU5 universities, together with STOU executives and staff, paid
a visit to Prince of Songkla University (PSU), Phuket Campus. They received a warm welcome led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. PunThongchumnum, Vice President of the Phuket Campus. Highlights included a special lecture on “Phuket Tourism”
by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chayanan Puangcharoen, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism, who provided valuable insights into Phuket’s key economic sector. Participants also toured “PSU Airlines,”
the university’s aviation learning center.
The 27th OU5 Bi-Annual Summit reinforced strong academic partnerships and reaffirmed the OU5 universities’ commitment to advancing collaborative research and innovation in open and distance education across the region.
