Nottingham Trent University to play a key role in entrepreneurship education in Thailand
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has become a key international partner in Thailand’s ambition to grow artificial intelligence capability, entrepreneurship, and future-ready talent at a national level.
By Helen Breese | Published on 23 April 2026
Categories: Press office; Business; Research; Nottingham Business School;
Activity will be led by the Centre for Business and Industry Transformation (CBIT), part of NTU’s Nottingham Business School, and will focus on connecting academic learning with practical application, supporting students, researchers and professionals to develop entrepreneurial capability and translate ideas into viable ventures.
The collaboration builds on several years of joint activity, which has now been formalised through a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) between NTU and Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), alongside the renewal of a previous agreement between NTU and Chiang Mai University (CMU).
CBIT will work closely with both organisations on programme design, teaching, mentoring and ecosystem development to support entrepreneurship education at scale.
The partnership is enhanced through a sister‑centre model linking CBIT with CMU’s Science and Technology Park (STeP). This will provide an operational base for joint programme delivery, AI-enabled education, applied research and industry engagement, while supporting student and staff collaboration and future funding opportunities.
A flagship element of the partnership is the Experiential Learning Programme (ELP), funded by MHESI and led by CMU, with NTU as the UK partner.
The programme brings Thai students to the UK for intensive entrepreneurial training and NTU has already successfully hosted two cohorts of the programme - providing mentoring, market validation, venture development support and exposure to international business environments.
CBIT will also continue to lead a Train‑the‑Trainer programme, funded through the British Council’s International Science Partnerships Fund and co‑supported by Thai research agencies.
The initiative focuses on building long‑term capacity by training mentors who can support researchers and entrepreneurs to commercialise their work and has so far upskilled 40 mentors to support the commercialisation efforts of 120 researchers, creating a sustainable multiplier effect within the innovation ecosystem.
More recently, NTU and CMU launched an AI Skills Training and Workforce Development programme, which has established a specialist AI training centre in northern Thailand. The programme delivers short courses and hands‑on workshops for industry leaders across key business sectors, enabling the practical application of artificial intelligence in real-world contexts while strengthening organisational capability and workforce skills.
NTU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dave Petley, recently visited Thailand to sign the new MOU. He said: “We are pleased to continue our partnership with CMU, which has evolved through a series of impactful programmes and grants that demonstrate a strong foundation of mutual trust and shared strategic priorities.
“By combining NTU’s strengths in entrepreneurship, digital transformation and applied research with Thailand’s national priorities, we are developing programmes that support skills, AI-driven entrepreneurship and sustainable growth.
“Crucially, this partnership is not just about individual projects; it is about building lasting relationships that support people, communities and economies, both in Thailand and in the UK.”
Director of CBIT, Professor Xiao Ma, added: “The MHESI–NTU memorandum of understanding elevates our partnership to a national strategic level, allowing successful initiatives in artificial intelligence, innovation and workforce development to be scaled across Thailand’s higher education and industry ecosystems.
“Entrepreneurship education is most effective when it is grounded in real challenges and real contexts. Through CBIT, we are working with our partners in Thailand to build programmes that develop talent, strengthen local innovation ecosystems and enable ideas to move into real‑world impact.”
CBIT brings together applied research, entrepreneurship education and industry engagement to support business transformation and innovation. The Centre works with universities, governments and industry partners in the UK and internationally to design and deliver programmes in entrepreneurship, venture building, artificial intelligence and workforce development, with a focus on translating research and ideas into real‑world economic, social and environmental impact. Find out more.
Notes for Editors
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About Nottingham Business School at Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Business School (NBS) at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is a leader in experiential learning and personalisation of business, management and economics education and research, combining academic excellence with positive impact on people, business and society. NBS has an unrivalled level of engagement with business, public and voluntary organisations. With more than 8,500 students, NBS is also one of UK’s largest business schools.
NBS is part of the 1% of business schools worldwide to hold the Triple Crown of accreditation from EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB. NBS is also accredited by Small Business Charter, providing support and development for SMEs, and is a PRME Champion - held up as an exemplar and beacon by the United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME).
In The Guardian University Guide 2026, all NBS subjects were ranked in the UK Top 20, covering Accounting and Finance, Business and Management, Economics and Marketing and PR were all recognised for excellence in teaching, high student satisfaction and strong graduate career prospects.
About Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has been named UK ‘University of the Year’ five times in six years, (Times Higher Education Awards 2017, The Guardian University Awards 2019, The Times and Sunday Times 2018 and 2023, Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023) and is consistently one of the top performing modern universities in the UK.
Students have voted us the best university in the UK and 1st in the UK for student employability (Uni Compare 2025).
NTU is 4th in the UK for number of undergraduate students (HESA 2023-24) with over 36,000 students and more than 4,000 staff located across six campuses. It has an international student population of 6,000 and an NTU community representing over 160 countries.
NTU owns two Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for outstanding achievements in research (2015, 2021). The first recognises NTU’s research on the safety and security of global citizens. The second was awarded for research in science, engineering, arts and humanities to investigate and restore cultural objects, buildings and heritage. The Research Excellence Framework (2021) classed 83% of NTU’s research activity as either world-leading or internationally excellent.
NTU was awarded GOLD in the national 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) assessment.
NTU is a top 10 for sport (British Universities and Colleges Sport league table 2025) and was named as Sports University of the Year (Daily Mail University Guide 2025). It has also been ranked as 25th in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2026.
NTU is a holder of the University Mental Health Charter recognising the commitment an institution has shown towards continuous improvement in the area of mental health and wellbeing.
NTU is the most environmentally sustainable university in the UK and second in the world (UI Green Metric University World Rankings, 2024).