Dr.Danaitun Pongpatcharatrontep, Deputy Dean for Research and Innovation, along with Assistant Professor Dr. Orawit Thinnukool, leader of the ASTRA project, Assistant Professor Dr. Pattaraporn Khuwuthyakorn, Assistant Professor Dr. 
Manissaward Jintapitak, and Assistant Professor Dr. Chalermpon Kongjit, welcomed visitors Prof. Silvia Villa from the University of Florence. This visit, part of the ASTRA (Advancing Strategic Management, Leadership, and Fundraising in Higher Education in Asia) project under the Erasmus+ program, aimed to supervise the pilot operation of the ASTRA R&D Innovation and Consulting Hub at CMU, Thailand. 

The visit was supported by the Office of Research Administration, CMU, and the College of Arts, Media and Technology. Its objective was to monitor the pilot operations of the center in terms of sustainability and to expand the international cooperation network of CMU personnel.

During the visit, Dr.Danaitun Pongpatcharatrontep introduced various research projects focusing on cross-border e-commerce and the development of the Mekong Basin region, discussing opportunities for collaboration between colleges and the University of Florence, including student and staff mobility under the EU Erasmus+ program.

There is also discussion of a project set to receive continued EU funding in 2024, signifying a robust collaboration between the ESCS of CAMT, Chiang Mai University, and the University of Florence, Italy.