20 July 2024: On 8 July 2024, Ms. Cristina Maria Carvalho da Mata Ribeiro, Lab Manager/Senior Laboratory Technician of the Biology Department at the School of Sciences, University of Minho, visited the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand for one week. This visit was part of the UMoveME Project, supported by an Erasmus+ mobility grant for a training mission.
The main objective of the mobility, as outlined in the Erasmus+ Programme contract between the two institutions, was successfully achieved. The visit provided an opportunity to understand the operations and functionalities of the host university, particularly in areas related to laboratory procedures, equipment management, safety protocols, waste management, and chemical storage, among other day-to-day laboratory activities. Additionally, discussions were held about establishing a potential partnership for a future Erasmus+ project.
The mission began with a meeting at the Office of International Affairs of the Office of International and Public Affairs, attended by Dr. Sumana Shrestha, Ms. Sirima Sirimattayanan, Ms. Indra Kumari, and Ms. Kanlaya Muangsan. Both institutions shared their respective experiences and explored various collaborative opportunities. Ms. Cristina visited several research laboratories at AIT and participated in experience-sharing sessions with laboratory managers, facilitating an exchange of best practices. The discussions covered topics such as laboratory procedures, equipment management, material handling, chemical and waste management, reagent storage, and laboratory safety.
During the visit, laboratories from various schools and centers were toured, including the School of Engineering and Technology, the Center for Nanotechnology, School of Environmental Resources and Management, School of Environmental Engineering and Management. Several contacts were established for potential future collaborations.
Dr. Tanujjal Bora, Associate Professor at the Bio-Nano Materials Science and Engineering and Director of the Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology, hosted a meeting where the Erasmus visit’s objectives were discussed, along with the possibility of forming an exchange partnership between colleagues from both institutions. There was also considerable interest in joining the European project EASY GOV – Laboratory Management Platform and a general presentation on Laboratory Management was delivered.
AIT also expressed interest in visiting the University of Minho, specifically the research laboratories of the Department of Biology and the Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (IB_S), as part of future collaborations.
