SEARCA and KU formalize joint graduate scholarship program

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and Kasetsart University (KU) in Thailand have formalized a new joint initiative to strengthen advanced education in agricultural and resource economics across Southeast Asia.

The two institutions have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to launch the KU–SEARCA Joint Graduate Scholarship Program through the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Faculty of Economics at KU. The agreement underscores their shared commitment to cultivating highly trained professionals who can contribute to sustainable agricultural and rural development and evidence-based policy advancement in the region.

Representing the two institutions at the signing were Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, SEARCA Center Director, and Dr. Damrong Sripraram, Acting President of KU. The partnership establishes a three-year collaborative scholarship program beginning in Academic Year (AY) 2026/2027 and running through AY 2028/2029.

Under the agreement, two Southeast Asian nationals will be awarded scholarships to pursue a PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics at KU. The program is designed to bolster the capacities of individuals and their home institutions, with both SEARCA and KU jointly providing financial support for the scholars throughout the program.

By focusing on higher education and leadership, the scholarship directly advances SEARCA’s focus on people under its 12th Five-Year Development Plan, which prioritizes the empowerment of agricultural stakeholders as primary catalysts for regional transformation.

SEARCA and KU have long maintained a strong partnership under the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC), which SEARCA established in 1989. KU continues to serve as lead for the UC’s second collaborative project funded by the Erasmus+ program under its Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) component.

While the two institutions have collaborated on various initiatives over the years, the KU-SEARCA Joint Graduate Scholarship Program marks their first partnership specifically dedicated to a joint scholarship scheme. The signing of the new MOA solidifies their shared commitment to advancing agricultural education and research in Southeast Asia.

To learn more about the Agricultural and Resource Economics Program and its application process, visit the KU website at: https://are.eco.ku.ac.th/en/doctoral-degree