The First ASEAN Plus Three Graduate Research Congress (AGRC) is organized as part of the commemoration of His Majesty the King's 84^th Birthday.

The AGRC provides graduate students from ASEAN Plus Three countries with the opportunity to present results of their ongoing research in an interdisciplinary setting to peers, faculty members, and other interested parties.The AGRC will create a unique and dynamic setting that facilitates the efficient exchange of knowledge and ideas across a wide variety of scientific and social disciplines. There will be two invited speakers to highlight the importance of being ASEAN Plus Three communities in general and academic aspects.

The AGRC is also aimed at providing a forum for research collaboration and mentoring of outstanding graduate students in order to share research experience and to provide them with an opportunity to further develop a range of skills relevant to the research process. Graduate students from ASEAN Plus Three countries are invited to submit proposals for presentation, as well as to attend the Conference in order to appreciate and emulate the quality work completed by other students. The Conference provides more than simply an opportunity to promote research work. By participating, it is hoped that graduate students will enhance and demonstrate their presentation skills. In order to showcase the diversity of graduate students' scholarly and creative activities, two formats are available for conference sessions: oral presentations and poster sessions.

Papers will be peer reviewed, and all accepted papers will be published in the conference proceedings. In addition, some selected papers will be published in a special issue of the Chiang Mai University Journal.

During the conference, the 1^st Forum of the Deans of ASEAN Plus Three Graduate Schools will also be held. The agenda of the forum includes:

• Qualification framework at the graduate level
• Graduate students' mobility
• Graduate studies in ASEAN Plus Three aspects.

1. To disseminate graduate research output among research communities that benefits the public at international levels.
2. To provide graduate students, faculty members, and researchers with opportunities for developing academic leadership through their research presentations at this international conference.
3. To create an academic atmosphere and research development among graduate students, faculty members, researchers and other participants.
4. To highlight the current frontier of research activities and achievements.
5. To enhance the quality of research so as to reach international standards.