On the afternoon of June 7, 2023, Dr. Christian Ploberger from Rajamangala University of Technology was invited to give a lecture entitled “Comparative Regionalism: A Re-contemplation of Space” in Conference Room 1701, Sanjiang Building. The lecture was hosted by Prof. Li Li, Dean of the School of Marxism, and Prof. Zhang Huiqing and parts of the students were invited to attend the lecture.
First of all, Li Li, on behalf of the school, extended a warm welcome and thanks Dr. Christian Ploberger for his efforts to travel from Bangkok to Zhenjiang by train. This became possible, with the opening of the Vientiane-Kunming railway link, another example of the Belt and Road Investments strategy. Dr. Christian Ploberger mentioned that the railway link is also very welcomed by parts of the Thai business community, as it shortens transport time from Thailand to China, Kunming, considerable, offering additional trade opportunities. We would like to conduct the academic exchange and expressed the desire that further cooperation in such fields as student cultivation, teacher visit, and academic research between the School of Marxism and Rajamangala University of Technology should be carried out.
Dr. Christian Ploberger pointed out in his lecture that space was crucial to understand the development and the challenges of regional cooperation. He argued that space factors, including geographical conditions, cultural differences and socio-economic ties, played an important role in the formation and development of regional cooperation. Then, he explained the theory through reference to various regional cooperation dynamics, like within international river basins which enabled the students to better understand the diversity, interdependence and formation of cooperation mechanisms within regions. The re-contemplation of space provided new perspectives for coping with the increasingly complex challenges posed by globalization and regionalization.
The lecture further expanded the students’ academic horizons and provided rewarding insights for their academic research. More importantly, the lecture also laid a solid foundation for promoting further international exchanges and cooperation between the two institutions.
