Knowledge in the city

"We live in a knowledge-based society in which workers who stop learning will be left behind," says Rev Bro Dr Bancha Saenghiran, president of Assumption University. "Our city campus will provide them with skills that can be adapted and put to instant use at their current jobs."

The courses vary from Chinese, English and French language to a Professional Management Certificate (Mini MBA) programme, in which Assumption has joined forces with other international institutes such as Britain's University of Exeter, the DePaul University of Chicago and Australia's University of Wollongong. Some master's degree courses will also be conducted at the campus.

The campus has 10 classrooms, each with a maximum capacity of 30 students and an LCD projector for report presentations.

There's also a computer lab with twenty computers and wireless hi-fi Internet access.

Apart from using the campus as a place to study, the university's city branch will also be used as an administration centre for current bachelor degree students. The services offered include issuing student ID cards and transcript records, accepting new applications, adding or withdrawing courses, providing handouts, documents and class materials.

Dr Soonthorn Pibulcharoensit, director of graduate studies, says the city campus would also serve as the university's pilot site for implementing new technologies before they are officially used at the campuses in Hua Mark and Bangna.

"We are currently trying out the new IP Phone System, with which people at the city campus and the other campuses can have a live conversation with sound and vision at the same time."

Others facilities in the city campus are book corner, Internet cafe, lounge and coffee corner.

The Abac city campus is located on the 14th floor of the ZEN Department Store at Central World, on Rajdamri Road. Office hours are 10am to 10pm on weekdays and 10am to 6pm on weekends.

The Nation