The collaboration offers Khon Kaen University students exclusive access to a Master’s programme, an international summer camp, and cooperative education in AI-driven finance and economics.

The Faculty of Economics at Khon Kaen University (KKU) has advanced its international academic partnerships by establishing a collaborative framework with the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE) in Chengdu, the People’s Republic of China. Recognized globally as a premier institution for economics and finance, SWUFE is ranked 8th worldwide in the field of Economics, Econometrics, and Finance by the SCImago Institutions Rankings 2026. This partnership aims to provide KKU economics students with expanded postgraduate pathways and international exposure in economics, finance, data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and commercial AI applications.

Associate Professor Suthin Wianwiwat, Dean of the Faculty of Economics at Khon Kaen University, accompanied by Assistant Professor Dr. Tanyamat Srungboonmee, Chair of the Department of Economics, recently travelled to SWUFE in Chengdu to deliberate on academic collaboration. The discussions focused primarily on SWUFE’s international Master of Science programme in AI in Business, which is designed to equip graduates with advanced skills in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital technology tailored for modern business, financial, and economic sectors. The KKU delegation was received by Professor Li Qing, Associate Dean of the School of Management Science and Engineering, who oversees the curriculum.

Associate Professor Wianwiwat stated that this academic mission to SWUFE was highly successful. He noted that the initiative not only establishes a direct international postgraduate pathway in AI in Business for KKU students but also tangibly elevates the curriculum quality of the Faculty of Economics by connecting it with a world-class institution renowned for economics, finance, and data analytics.

The Dean added that SWUFE regards the Faculty of Economics at Khon Kaen University as a leading institution that produces high-quality graduates possessing strong foundational knowledge in economics, finance, data analytics, and applied AI. These capabilities serve as an excellent bridge to their Master’s programme in AI in Business. This cooperation represents a significant milestone in creating international learning pathways for students, whilst supporting the Faculty’s strategic goal of becoming a leading economics institution in the Greater Mekong Subregion, distinguished by practical, real-world economics.

Key Areas of Collaboration

The core framework of this partnership encompasses three primary dimensions:

• Postgraduate Pathway in AI in Business: Khon Kaen University undergraduate economics students who maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 or above and complete the Data Analytics and AI Module will receive preferential admission consideration for the Master’s programme in AI in Business at SWUFE. This includes special consideration regarding academic qualifications and English language requirements, significantly lowering traditional entry barriers to one of China’s top financial and economic universities.

• Global Academy Summer Camp: SWUFE has allocated dedicated slots for KKU economics students to participate in its annual Global Academy Summer Camp. Held every June for a duration of 10 days, this international camp gathers students from across the globe. The Faculty of Economics at KKU has secured two fully funded slots for its students, waiving the standard fee, accommodation, and meal costs, which typically total approximately 7,000 Chinese Yuan per self-funded applicant. Priority for these slots will be given to KKU students enrolled in the Data Analytics and AI Module.

• Cooperative Education in AI in Finance and Economics: SWUFE has agreed to offer internship and cooperative education placements for KKU economics students each semester. This initiative allows students to gain hands-on experience at a leading Chinese institution, enabling them to integrate economics, finance, data analytics, and AI skills within an international economic and business environment.

Academic Prestige and Future Outlook

SWUFE possesses a deep historical connection to the financial and economic systems of China. From the late 1970s until 2000, the university operated under the direct administration of the central bank, the People’s Bank of China, before transitioning to the Ministry of Education. Furthermore, SWUFE houses the renowned Institute of Financial Studies (IFS). Professor Philip H. Dybvig, co-recipient of the 2022 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences alongside Ben S. Bernanke and Douglas W. Diamond for their seminal research on banks and financial crises, played a vital role in founding and developing the IFS, serving as its director from 2010 to 2021.

Looking forward, SWUFE plans to send doctoral students to participate in joint academic activities with the Faculty of Economics at Khon Kaen University, fostering research networks and knowledge exchange between the faculty and students of both institutions. Concurrently, the Faculty of Economics at KKU plans to host an International Boot Camp in 2027. This programme will welcome SWUFE students interested in travelling to Thailand and Khon Kaen University for academic workshops, cultural exchanges, and collaborative projects, thereby expanding KKU’s role as an international academic hub in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

This collaboration between the Faculty of Economics at Khon Kaen University and SWUFE marks a pivotal step in upgrading educational frameworks, establishing international academic networks, and preparing Thai economics students for a modern global economy driven by data, artificial intelligence, digital finance, and transnational business. It further underscores the commitment of the Faculty of Economics at KKU to developing graduates equipped with both economic expertise and future-ready skills, capable of operating in international environments and contributing to the economic advancement of Thailand, the Greater Mekong Subregion, and Asia.