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Mahidol and Sussex leaders and colleagues during February 2025 visit

Round 2 research team (Sussex Centre for Migration Research) during visit to Thailand

Round 2 research team (Centre for Equitable Global Health) with Mahidol's VP for Global Partnerships and University Council

Three research teams have been awarded grants through the Mahidol Sussex Seed Fund, marking another chapter in the growing partnership between the University of Sussex and Mahidol University in Thailand.

Now in its third round, the Mahidol Sussex Seed Fund continues to champion international collaboration, supporting projects that tackle global challenges and foster development.

Each of the selected teams will receive funding to cover costs for travel, accommodation, facilities and equipment use to help bring their ideas to life over the coming year. The funding will support a wide range of activities, from collaborative workshops and research visits to the development of joint publications and external funding proposals.

The awarded projects

Sussex’s Global Engagement team and Mahidol’s Global Partnerships Division were thrilled to receive over 20 applications for this round, making the selection process highly competitive. The three successful proposals truly embody the spirit of the fund—fostering purposeful, multifaceted research and meaningful collaboration across borders.

The three awarded projects are:

Sustainable coatings and nanomaterials
Professor Fan Zhang (Sussex, Engineering and Informatics)
Dr Dakrong Pissuwan (Mahidol, Science)

AI in Strategic Management and Organisational Studies
Dr Nilay Bicakcioglu-Peynirci (Sussex, Business School)
Dr Olimpia C. Racela (Mahidol, International College)

Clean Energy Technology and Applied Machine Learning
Dr Ming Huang (Sussex, Engineering and Informatics)
Dr Wonsiri Punurai (Mahidol, Engineering)

About the Mahidol Sussex Seed Fund

The Mahidol Sussex Seed Fund was created to deepen the strategic partnership between the two universities, with a shared vision of advancing research that makes a real-world impact. Mahidol University - Sussex’s strategic partner and one of Thailand’s top institutions - brings world-class expertise in biotechnology, medical sciences, and environmental research, making it an ideal collaborator for Sussex’s global research ambitions.

Building on past success: Rounds 1 and 2

This latest round builds on the strong foundations laid by previous cohorts. Round 1 projects concluded earlier this year, and we’re pleased to say that the fund has helped researchers to make important progress in the fields of liver cancer research, smart agriculture and cardiovascular health.

Round 2 projects are currently underway, with researchers from Sussex and Mahidol actively collaborating and making exciting progress toward their goals. This round features a diverse mix of themes, including education and gender equality, soft robotics, mobility and tourism, and tuberculosis research. These projects are led by researchers from Sussex’s Centres of Excellence, including the Centre for International Education, the Sussex Centre for Migration Research, Sussex Artificial Intelligence, and the Centre for Equitable Global Health Research.

Looking ahead

As the newly funded projects begin, the Global Engagement Office at Sussex and the Global Partnerships Division at Mahidol will continue to support the teams throughout their journey and the universities look forward to sharing stories of success and innovation in the months ahead.

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