On 13 May 2025, SOI Asia Director Professor Keiko Okawa, Dr. Achmad Husni Thamrin and Dr. Eliko Akashi, and APNIC Foundation Project Officer Dr. Marcos Sadao Maekawa visited the National University of Laos (NUOL) in Vientiane. The primary aim of the visit was to renew and strengthen the long-standing partnership between Keio University and NUOL, which dates back to the early 2000s.
Reconnecting with the NUOL Community
The morning session began with a warm reunion with former SOI Asia interns who are now key academic leaders at NUOL—Dr. Khamphao Sisaat, Head of the Research and Academic Services Division, and Dr. Somsanouk Pathoumvanh, Head of the Lao-Japan Technical Training Center. Both had participated in SOI Asia’s operator training internship program at Keio SFC over two decades ago.
Okawa and Thamrin introduced recent SOI Asia initiatives, including the Asia Pacific Internet Engineering Program (APIE), Evidence-Based Approach (EBA) Project, and the Community-Based Research (CBR) projects. Additional discussions included topics such as the Inxignia micro-credential platform, and the collaboration with ARENA-PAC.
The delegation also learned about the current state of network infrastructure in Laos. While satellite connectivity options like Starlink are not yet available, NUOL is connected via land-based infrastructure—mainly through Thailand—which provides a solid foundation for future collaboration. Improving bandwidth was highlighted as a priority for enabling participation in SOI Asia’s online programs, as well as for supporting future collaborative research initiatives. The team also visited the former SOI Asia antenna, which still remains on campus, and toured the NUOL-Japan Center established by JICA for IT and network training.
Later in the day, the delegation visited NUOL’s main campus to meet with Vice President Prof. Dr. Phouphet Kyophilavong, who recently took on a leadership role to strengthen NUOL’s IT strategy. With a Ph.D. from Osaka University and experience at Kobe University, Prof. Kyophilavong shared the Lao government’s current direction of promoting digital technologies as a driver for national economic development, transitioning from a traditional focus on agriculture and manufacturing.
During the meeting, SOI Asia representatives reaffirmed the importance of renewing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Keio University and NUOL to enable student and faculty participation in ongoing and future programs. The session was also attended by representatives from the university’s International Affairs Office, IT Center, and Faculty of Engineering.
Looking Ahead
The visit is expected to accelerate the formalization of a new MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) between Keio University and NUOL, which is already in progress. Once renewed, the agreement is anticipated to open new opportunities for collaboration, including participation of Lao students in programs such as APIE and EBA, and involvement of faculty members in regional research and education initiatives.
After the visit to NUOL, the team also met with Mr. Saysomvang Souvannavong, the National Coordinator of the APNIC Foundation’s SWITCH! program in Laos. Mr. Souvannavong shared an overview of the local Internet landscape and his multi-faceted role in key national initiatives, including LANIC and LANOG. The discussion highlighted opportunities for SOI Asia to support capacity development efforts in the country and provided valuable insights into how SOI Asia’s mission can align with and contribute to Laos’ national Internet development priorities.
