Chulalongkorn University President’s Distinguished Speakers The 1st Special Lecture on “Leadership in a Disruptive World” by Executive Vice President and Provost from Claremont Graduate University

Chulalongkorn University hosted the 1^st Chulalongkorn University President’s Distinguished Speakers on the topic “Leadership in a Disruptive World” on Thursday July 11, 2024, at Next Tech, 4^th floor, Siam Paragon. Prof. Dr. Wilert Puriwat, Acting President of Chulalongkorn University, gave the opening remarks, followed by a welcome speech by Mr. Nuttawut Kietchaiyakorn, Chief Business Resources, Siam Piwat Co., Ltd.  

At this event, Prof. Dr. Michelle Bligh, Executive Vice President and Provost, from Claremont Graduate University, California, USA, delivered a special talk on “Leadership in a Disruptive World.” The talk was also attended by Ms. Amporn Chotruchsakul, President, Business Support, Siam Piwat Co., Ltd. 

Prof. Dr. Wilert Puriwat, Acting President of Chulalongkorn University, welcomed the participants and spoke of Chulalongkorn University’s plans for the future. Bringing in world-renowned experts to give talks will be a valuable way to share knowledge and expertise while inspiring not only Thai students, but also interested members of the general public. At the same time, it will help build networks and collaborations. By inviting national and international experts, “Chulalongkorn University President’s Distinguished Speakers” serves as a platform to promulgate knowledge to Thai society. The topic of this first event, “Leadership in a Disruptive World,” is highly significant as the world is going through a period of unprecedented uncertainties and challenges.  

Prof. Dr. Wilert said that Chulalongkorn University doesn’t only create student leaders; we aim to develop leaders for all of Thailand. The university no longer limits education and learning to only within its walls, but will act as a space for ideas and wisdom for everyone in Thailand. Our duty in creating leaders goes beyond within the country, but we want Thai personnel, whether in private companies or government organizations, to become transnational leaders. We want to see Thailand as a leader in education. To achieve this goal of creating leaders, one tool is the “Chulalongkorn University President’s Distinguished Speakers” series. This isn’t only about organizing talks, but about inspiring everyone to feel that we can do more and that we can be creators.  

“If we only concentrate on studying from the same old documents, our knowledge might become outdated. But hosting live lectures like this keeps our knowledge current.” At the same time, Chulalongkorn University will distribute the content across all social media channels, including YouTube and podcasts, to serve as a knowledge hub,” said Prof. Dr. Wilert.  

Prof. Dr. Michelle Bligh is an expert in leadership with numerous well-recognized research in the academic field of Leadership. She also has extensive experience in various university management roles. Prof. Dr. Bligh shared concepts, data, and various research findings about leadership, encouraging the audience to analyze and review crucial issues that leaders in the modern world face, along with approaches to deal with an uncertain world. 

Prof. Dr. Michelle Bligh’s talk provided clarification on the terms leader and follower. In today’s world, the need for leadership is greater than ever before. Unfortunately, society is better at training and developing followers, which has been ongoing from a young age. The challenges in the contemporary world increasingly demands leaders, which we are not prepared to be. We’ve placed our bets on tools and technologies that surpass human capabilities and intelligence. However, AI cannot replace humans. Hence, educational institutions must reinvent themselves to find and support lifelong learners wherever they are and respond to the knowledge they need. 

Leadership refers to the ability, motivation, and desire to influence others. Universities and higher education institutions need to do better in teaching and equipping people with leadership, as well as use AI as an assistant in developing certain skills, strategies, and tips to achieve goals. Furthermore, we need to promote genuine leadership that embodies ethics, patience, kindness, and nurturing. 

The aim of the Chulalongkorn University President’s Distinguished Speakers is to disseminate knowledge and inspire students, faculty, and interested members of the public through the experiences shared by world-renowned experts and important figures. This event also promotes the international standing of Chulalongkorn University and serves as a starting point for building collaborative networks between the university and various organizations, both domestic and international. This will lead to the development of joint research and various projects in the future.   

About Claremont Graduate University 

Claremont Graduate University (CGU), located in Claremont, California, USA, was established in 1925. The university focuses on graduate studies and is part of Claremont Colleges, which consists of many other undergraduate and graduate institutions.  

One of the university’s renowned faculty members, Prof. Peter Drucker, who had a significant influence on modern management concepts, was honored as the “Father of Modern Management.” He pioneered the concept of Management by Objectives. Additionally, he played a crucial role in developing management education and research at CGU. 

Furthermore, CGU is also well-known as the “Home of Positive Psychology,” a field that focuses on studying human happiness and well-being. Several scholars, such as Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Jeanne Nakamura, have played crucial roles in developing this concept. 

Other alumni of CGU who are famous in Thai society include Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and Asst. Prof. Dr. Kessara Thanyalakpark, Managing Director of Sena Development Public Company Limited.  

The rerun of the 1^st Chulalongkorn University President’s Distinguished Speakers on “Leadership in a Disruptive World” can be viewed at  https://fb.watch/tgs_iCBEDz/ 

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