When higher education stopped for thousands of young people in Myanmar in 2020, universities faced a hard question: how do you rebuild a disrupted future?
On October 21-22, 2026, more than 150 education leaders and partner universities from ASEAN and Europe gathered at the Mandarin Oriental in Jakarta for the EMPM Forum 2026: Education Pathways for Myanmar Youth, organized by the European Union with DAAD, Campus France, and Nuffic.
In Session 7, “Supporting Student Success: From Admission to Completion,” Prof. Dr. Chaowalit Limmaneevichitr, Vice President for Student and Learner Development at KMUTT, shared how we support students under the EU Mobility Programme for Myanmar (EMPM). He joined panelists from University College London, Prospect Burma, and ASEAN scholarship recipients.
The result: Under Phase I of this €4.7 million EU-ASEAN initiative, KMUTT welcomed eight undergraduate and graduate students from Myanmar across the Faculties of Engineering, Bioresources and Technology, and Liberal Arts. All eight graduated, a 100% success rate.
Behind that outcome is a four-pillar support system:
- 60-Day Pre-Arrival Readiness: a single One-Stop Focal Point, flexible academic documentation, advisors and labs prepared in advance, plus peer buddies and mental health support from day one
- Triad Support System: the International Affairs Office, faculty advisors, and student development and wellness units working as one coordinated team
- 6-Week Early-Warning Mechanism: early academic support and intervention in the first semester, well before midterms
- Supported Autonomy: close guidance in the first year, then opportunities to become peer mentors and student network leaders
When universities design support around the real lives of their students, higher education becomes a place where derailed futures can be restored.
Building on this success, KMUTT looks forward to continuing as a host institution for EMPM Phase II, starting in January 2027.
