AIHD, Mahidol University Hosts CONNECT Network General Assembly Meeting to Advance Social Health Protection Collaboration in the Asia-Pacific Region
On 14 May 2026, ASEAN Institute for Health Development (AIHD), Mahidol University, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), organized the “CONNECT Network General Assembly Meeting” at Mahidol University, Salaya. The meeting aimed to strengthen collaboration in research and capacity building on Social Health Protection across the Asia-Pacific region.
On this occasion, Professor Piyamitr Sritara, President of Mahidol University, delivered welcome remarks to members of the CONNECT Network at Room 530, Office of the President, Mahidol University. Professor Nopraenue Sajjarax Dhirathiti, Vice President for Global Partnerships and University Council, also joined in welcoming representatives from various member countries before leading the delegation on a campus tour of Mahidol University, Salaya, followed by participation in the General Assembly Meeting at the Boonsiri Meeting Room, ASEAN Institute for Health Development.
During the meeting, the ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, in its role as the Coordination Secretariat of the CONNECT Network, facilitated discussions and collaboration among network members. Associate Professor Thunwadee Suksaroj, Director of the ASEAN Institute for Health Development, delivered the opening remarks and led discussions on the future direction of the network, including research collaboration, capacity strengthening, communication among members, and strategies for expanding regional partnerships.
The meeting also marked the first on-site gathering of CONNECT Network members since the network’s establishment. The event provided an important opportunity to strengthen relationships, enhance collaboration, and promote knowledge exchange among member organizations from across the Asia-Pacific region.
Key agenda items included identifying future collaborative research priorities, discussing the appointment of the Steering Committee, revising the Network Charter, and exploring practical approaches to strengthen member engagement and communication within the network.
The CONNECT Network was established through collaboration among leading organizations in health and public policy, including the ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University; the Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI), Thailand; The Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University (SNU), Republic of Korea; The Health Strategy and Policy Institute (HSPI), Vietnam; Hanoi University of Public Health (HUPH), Vietnam; the International Labour Organization (ILO); and The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA), Republic of Korea. The network plays a significant role in promoting research collaboration, knowledge exchange, and capacity strengthening in social health protection systems to support equitable and sustainable access to healthcare services across the Asia-Pacific region.
