Speakers

Professor Takayo Kimiya

Dean, Faculty of Nursing, Fukuyama Heisei University, Japan

Academic Background:
1980.3 Graduated from Tokushima Municipal High School
1983.3 Graduated from the First Nursing Department, Tokai University College of Medical Technology
2004.3 Graduated from the Department of Management Information, Faculty of Management Information, Sanno University
2006.3 Completed Master’s Program in Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, Kochi University

Work Experiences:
1983.4 Nurse, Hakuaikai Hakua Memorial Hospital
1989.5 Head Nurse, Heisei Hospital, Awaji Heiseikai Medical Corporation
1994.4 Full-time Faculty Member, Department of Nursing, Tokushima Prefectural Nursing College
2008.4 Lecturer, Geriatric Nursing Division, Faculty of Nursing, Fukuyama Heisei University
2011.4 Associate Professor, Geriatric Nursing Division, Faculty of Nursing & Graduate School of Nursing, Fukuyama Heisei University
2014.4 Professor, Geriatric Nursing Division, Faculty of Nursing & Graduate School of Nursing, Fukuyama Heisei University
2015.4 Chair, Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Fukuyama Heisei University
Chairperson and President, National Society for Nursing Management, Education, and Community Care Systems
2018.4 Dean, Faculty of Nursing & Chair, Department of Nursing, Fukuyama Heisei University
2019.4 Dean, Faculty of Nursing, Fukuyama Heisei University
President & Chairperson, National Society for Nursing Management, Education, and Community Care Systems
Delegate & Council Member, Japan Society for Dementia Prevention

Professor Dr. Quazi Monirul Islam

Former Director, Making Pregnancy Safer Department, World Health Organization (WHO/HQ)

Professorship (Prince of Songkhla University, Songkhla, Thailand), FRCOG (UK); Fellowship

(Canada), Fellowship (India); MPH (the Netherlands); MBBS (Bangladesh).

I am a globally recognized health systems and public health specialist with extensive experience spanning the politics of health and health diplomacy, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) including primary health care (PHC) programmes, maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health, family planning, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and health promotion. Over the course of my career, I have visited and provided policy, strategic, and technical support to about 125 countries across all continents, contributing to major global health initiatives and national health reforms.

In 2021, I served with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Syria as the lead consultant and prepared the draft WHO’s Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS). I currently teach at East London and Birmingham Universities in the UK, Prince of Songkhla University in Thailand, Sofia University, and the JICA-supported international training programme in Japan. Previously, I held academic positions at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the Royal Tropical Institute (Amsterdam), Uppsala University (Sweden) and the University of Brescia (Italy).

I hold an MBBS degree from Dhaka University, Bangladesh, and an MPH from Amsterdam University and the Royal Tropical Institute in the Netherlands. I have been awarded multiple fellowships, including FRCOG from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (UK), and Fellowships from the Canadian Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Indian College of Maternal and Child Health.

My professional journey began at a rural health complex in Bangladesh before moving to Botswana in 1981, where I served for a decade as Medical Officer, Hospital Superintendent, and Senior District Medical Officer, overseeing PHC programmes. In 1991, I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands as Senior Public Health Advisor, advising on bilateral and multilateral health and population development programmes.

In 1992, I was invited to join WHO Geneva’s Global Programme on AIDS, where I led the development and promotion of syndromic case management for sexually transmitted infections. Later, as Chief of the Population and Family Planning Unit in WHO’s Reproductive Health Programme, I spearheaded the development of globally endorsed guidelines such as the Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use and Standards and Specifications for Latex Condoms.

I went on to serve as Team Coordinator for Norms and Tools in WHO/HQ and in 2002, was appointed Director of Family and Community Health at WHO’s Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO), overseeing reproductive health, maternal and child health, nutrition, nursing and midwifery, human resources, and essential drugs. In 2005, I became Director of Making Pregnancy Safer (MPS) at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, leading the development of the IMPAC tools for pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care, which gained UNICEF, UNFPA, and World Bank endorsement and global adoption. While serving as Director of MPS, with the support of Swedish SIDA in Stockholm and along with 10 other important donor countries, I initiated the process of the H4 Initiative with WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and the World Bank. I held several discussions at their respective headquarters, which culminated in the launch of the H4 partnership.

From 2010 to 2017, I held senior leadership positions as Director of Health Systems Development at WHO SEARO and as WHO Representative to Thailand and Namibia. While serving as Director of Family and Community Health (FHD) in SEARO, I visited Indonesia on several occasions, providing high-level policy and strategic support to improve maternal and newborn health. In addition, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Papua New Guinea, AUSAID, the World Bank, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation representative, I assessed the maternal and newborn health situation in Papua New Guinea and developed policy and strategic recommendations to strengthen health outcomes in the country. Over my 25 years at WHO, I played a key role in shaping global and regional health strategies, working directly with governments, development partners, and technical agencies worldwide.

Following my retirement from WHO in 2017, I joined the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine as Senior Specialist in Health Systems (Maternal and Newborn Health), leading a multi-country implementation research initiative in Africa and Afghanistan, and mobilizing US$15 million from the Global Fund. Since 2020, I have continued contributing to global health through teaching, research, volunteering with international and regional NGOs, and writing for newspapers in Bangladesh. In September 2025, I was invited by the Commissioner of Health of China to discuss the international perspectives on Chinese health development, reflecting my continued engagement in high-level global health policy dialogues.

Professor Dr. Andreia Jorge Silva da Costa

Professor Coordinator of the Research Center and PhD Program
School of Nursing, University of Lisbon, Portugal

Andreia Jorge Silva da Costa
PhD Nursing, Ms Public Health, Ms Community Nursing
Full Professor at Nursing School of Lisbon (ESEL)
Coordinator of the Nursing Research, Innovation and Development Centre of Lisbon (CIDNUR), the research unit of ESEL
Coordinator of the Nursing Doctoral Program at the University of Lisbon/ESEL
Department of Community Nursing
Member of the Scientific Council at ESEL
Vice President of the Management Council at ESEL
Member of Nursing PhD Scientific Committee at the University of Lisbon
Nursing professor since 2004 with experience in health policies.
Fellow and Boad Member of the European Academy of Nursing Science
Member of Sigma Theta Tau Internacional, Capitulo Phi Xi
National and International Focal point for different subjects such as Ageing, Health Literacy and Non-Communicable Diseases.
Part of several international working groups namely Health Systems Performance Assessment to European Commission.
Researcher at Environment Health Institute Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon.
Author and co-author of several scientific articles.

Professor Bih-O (Becky) Lee

President at Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology (Secondment from KMU for 4 years)
Professor at Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU), College of Nursing

Professor Bih-O (Becky) Lee, PhD, RN, is a leading nursing scholar, educator, and healthcare leader in Taiwan. She has been working at Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU), College of Nursing. From 2019 to 2025, she served as the Dean of the College of Nursing at KMU.

Currently, she serves as President of Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology. For more than 19 years, her research has received continuous government funding in advancing technology-assisted care and improving health outcomes across populations affected by injury, dementia, pressure injuries, and nursing education.

Professor Lee has a strong record of publication and cross-disciplinary collaboration, and her contributions have been recognized internationally. She has published about 130 international journals, and about 20% of those SSCI and SCIE papers rank in the top 10% in the nursing field and other interdisciplinary fields. In 2024 and 2025, she has been listed among the Top 2% of scientists in the world by Elsevier and Stanford University.

Professor Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong

Curriculum Chairman, International Program for Graduate Study in Epidemiology,
Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand

Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong, MD, PhD is Professor of Community Medicine. He founded the International Graduate Programme in 1992. So far, the programme has 167 PhD and 106 Master alumni working in 18 countries of Asia and Africa. It has been
supported by various international funding agencies such as fk-Norway, China Medical Board, Fogarty International Center of US-NIH, and the TUYF Charitable Trust of HongKong. Along with his student recruitment and field supervision, he provided
consultations to the visited institutes in low-income countries, mainly through WHO long-term institutional development program. The theme of consultation included human resources for health research, reproductive health, infectious diseases and environmental health.

He has published more than 370 research articles with over 8,000 citations in Scopus Database. He received the National Outstanding Research Award, the National Outstanding Teacher Award, and the National Outstanding Social Leader.

Professor Dr. Eleanor Holroyd

Associate Dean for International and Engagement at Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Professor Eleanor Holroyd is a distinguished scholar in nursing research with over 200 publication medical anthropology (HKU), and health equity, currently serving as Associate Dean International and Engagement in the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), New Zealand.

Over the past three decades she has amassed extensive international experience, working in Asia, Australia, and East Africa. Her work spans research, teaching, and leadership roles in higher education.
Her research interests are broad and deeply rooted in social justice. They include health equity, the rights of marginalized populations, human rights, public health, nursing and social sciences, migrant and refugee health, and issues surrounding aging and immigration.
Eleanor is well known for qualitative, ethnographic, and mixed‐methods approaches, particularly in cross-cultural settings.
She places special emphasis on the experiences of vulnerable or underserved groups, exploring cultural belief systems, caregiver dynamics, and barriers to health and well-being in diverse communities.
Beyond her individual research, Professor Holroyd is strongly committed to Board advisory mentoring PhD students, international research collaborations, and engagement across sectors. In her capacity as Associate Dean of International and Engagement, she plays a leading role in fostering global partnerships and building research capacity.

Associate Professor Dr. Aranya Chaowalit

Vice President for Education and Quality Development Praboromarajchanok Institute

Educational Background
Ph.D. (Nursing), Boston College, USA
M.S. (Nursing), Mahidol University
B.S. (Nursing), Prince of Songkla University
Work Experience
1.Vice President for Education and Quality Development, Boromarajchanok Institute (2021- Present)
2.Diractor, Thailand Center for Nursing Ethics, Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council (2014-Present)
3.Dean of the Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University (1999-2006, 2010-2018 four terms)
4.Vice President for Academic Affairs, Prince of Songkla University (2006-2010)
Expertise
1.Nursing Ethics
2.Leadership in Nursing
3.Measurement in Nursing
Honors and Awards Received
1.Outstanding Alumni in Promoting Ethics and Morality, Prince of Songkla University, 2022
2.Honorary Doctorate in Nursing Science, Prince of Songkla University, 2021
3.Distinguished Nurse Leader Award, Leader in Professional Development, Nursing Association of Thailand, 2019
4.Outstanding Alumni in Administration, Ramathibodi Alumni Association, Mahidol University, 2018
5.Outstanding Alumni for Contributing to Society and Institution, Prince of Songkla University, 2016

Assistant Professor Dr. Vivien Xi WU

Chair of Geriatric Care and Wellness Research Programme at Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Dr Vivien Wu is an Assistant Professor, Clinician Scientist (Population Health) at NUS Nursing and Healthy Longevity Translational Research Program. Dr Vivien serves as the Chair, Healthy Ageing & Community Care Research Programme. Dr Vivien’s research is centered on Innovative Healthy Ageing Interventions with two foci: 1) Digital Health empowering Older Adults and Caregivers in Managing Chronic Diseases; 2) Intergenerational Programs promoting Ageing-in-place in the Community. Dr Vivien has been awarded with international and national external competitive grants on Healthy Ageing Interventional research. Her research work on ageing has gained international recognition. Dr Vivien has been awarded with Emerging Nurse Researcher/Scholar Award, Sigma Theta Tau International in 2022, Early Career Investigator Award, Interstellar Initiative by New York Academy of Sciences and Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and Asian University Alliance Scholars in 2020, and Exemplary Community Partner Award in 2022. Vivien has published widely in high impact leading international refereed journals and book chapters and is listed as World’s Top 2% Most Cited Scientist by Standford University & Elsevier in 2023 & 2024. Vivien has served as editor and reviewer for International Nursing and Medical Journals.

Professor Dr. Ladda Thiamwong

Professor and Florida Blue Endowed Professor for Healthy Communities at College of Nursing, University of Central Florida, USA

Ladda Thiamwong, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN, FNAP, FGSA, a professor at UCF’s College of Nursing and the Florida Blue Endowed Professor for Healthy Communities, is a nationally recognized aging expert and researcher. With more than 20 years of experience in gerontological nursing, Thiamwong focuses her research on healthy aging and fall prevention — the leading cause of injuries among older adults in the U.S. She developed the healthy aging instrument in her native Thailand to assess processes involved in healthy aging, which is now available in several languages and used at research institutions around the world. Her research, which has been awarded more than $7 million in funding to date, has led to a paradigm shift in fall risk assessment through tailored fall interventions. Currently, Thiamwong leads the Healthy Aging Lab at UCF and an interdisciplinary research team implementing a technology-based body and mind intervention for older adults. Beyond her faculty appointment and research, she is a Section Editor for Aging Matters, Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, and an Associate Editor, Injury Prevention and Control Section, Frontiers in Public Health. She also shares her expertise as a member of the City of Orlando Mayor’s Committee on Livability and Healthy Aging, and as a member of the Disability, Aging, and Technology Faculty Research Cluster at UCF.

Professor Dr. Praneed Songwathana

Director of Research and Innovation Center for Wellbeing and Continuing Care (RC-WellCare) at Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand

Praneed Songwathana has been working in the Department of Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University in Southern Thailand since 1984. After completing the doctoral degree at University of Queensland, Australia, she has been involved with several researches both in clinical and non-clinical research, and academic work. She was also invited to work and share experiences as a visiting fellow at the School of Nursing, in Australia, Cannada and United State. Several activities were set up and organized such as international short course training program on critical care nursing, emergency, trauma and disaster nursing. Teaching and supervising of both Thai and International nursing program at postgraduate level including supervised exchanged students and teachers from several countries in Asia such as Japan, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Nepal.
For the research experience, several projects were conducted and granted by both internal and external organizations. Two of those projects were on the development a Nursing Curriculum for Improvement of Cultural Skills and Competence for Nurses and Nursing Students. The large project was related to Emergency Care Service System Integration in Southern Thailand aimed to bridge the gaps and strengthen the continuing care and nursing professional development in areas of trauma and emergency nursing. She has initiated the research team and several projects as a director of the research center in prevention and care for people with emergencies and trauma for more than ten years. Her research has been utilized and published both national and international level which becomes one of the outstanding staff who received several outstanding research awards, academic awards from university, distinguish award PSU Alumni and other organizations particularly from Thailand Nursing Council and Mahidol University. She is currently receiving the best thesis advisor and outstanding research awards Prince of Songkla University. Her expertise areas are on qualitative research, research and development, transitional care, cultural and holistic approach, including outcome evaluation and patient or family education. In addition, the new position as a director of research and innovation for wellbeing and continuing care, Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University which will drive for SDG.
Her affiliation in Thailand has been involved with Thailand Nursing Council and Nursing Association especially the President of Advanced Practice Nurse (Thailand). She has developed workforce capacity and nursing care quality competencies through research and academic activities. Several roles as a national and international reviewer, expert, and journal editor have been continued until today.

Professor Wai Tong CHIEN

Professor and Director of Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

Professor Wai Tong CHIEN is Professor and Director of Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He is also the Co-Director of Cochrane Hong Kong and Director of Asia-Pacific Genomic and Genetic Nursing Centre at the School. Prof. CHIEN is an experienced mental health researcher, evaluating various psychosocial interventions for people with mental health problems and family caregivers. Professor CHIEN received the Sigma’s 2025 Hall of Fame International Nurse Researcher, Honorary Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Nursing and Midwifery in Education and Research and Outstanding Fellow of CUHK Medicine in 2024, and Fellowship of American Academy of Nursing in 2018. He has secured more than 65 external competitive research grants (HKD55,000,000) and published around 310 international peer-reviewed healthcare journal articles.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Waraporn Kongsuwan

Associate Dean for Graduate Studies at Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand

Waraporn Kongsuwan, RN.; Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Adult and Gerontological Nursing Department in Medical Tract and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand. She completed her Ph.D. in Nursing program at Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University, USA. As a scholar of nursing, she authored an article “Development of the Emergent Theory of Aesthetic Nursing Practice (AesNURP)” and two books “Aesthetic Nursing Theory, Practice and Research: Caring for Persons at the End of Life” and “Nursing for Critical Ill Patients at the End Stage of Life with Technology.” She was a co-editor of a book, “The Evolution of the Theory of Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing: A Middle-Range Theory of Nursing. She was honored as an outstanding researcher and a distinguished thesis advisor for Human and Social Science of Prince of Songkla University and a distinguished researcher of the Nurses Association of Southern Thailand.

Assistant Professor Dr. Knoo Lee

University of Missouri’s Sinclair School of Nursing, USA

Dr. Knoo Lee is an Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri’s Sinclair School of Nursing and the Institute of Data Science and Informatics. His research focuses on big data analytics, machine learning, and sensor-based health technologies to improve
outcomes for older adults. He leads the Alzheimer’s Association–funded project Remote Sensing for ADRD-Specific Activities Identification in Older Adults and serves as Co-Investigator on the CMS-funded Aging-in-Place initiative. Dr. Lee’s work integrates data from wearable and in-home sensors with electronic health records to support personalized, evidence-based care for aging populations.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. KARNSUNAPHAT BALTHIP

Associate Dean for Research, Social Alliance, and International Affairs at Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand

Karnsunaphat Balthip, PhD, RN, is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Research, Social Alliances, and International Affairs in the Department of Public Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand. She is also affiliated with the Child and Adolescent Development Research Center and the Research and Innovation Center for Wellbeing and Continuing Care (RCWellCare) at Prince of Songkla University.
Her research focuses on adolescent development, with particular interests in cultivating purpose in life, fostering harmony, and promoting spiritual well-being among both healthy and vulnerable adolescents, including those living with HIV. She pioneered the development of a substantive theory of purpose in life enhancement in the Thai context, entitled “Living Life with Wisdom for Oneself and Others,” which illustrates the process of nurturing and developing purpose in life among Thai adolescents. She has published extensively on topics related to purpose in life, dignity, harmony, and spirituality.

Prof. Dr. Somporn Kantharadussadee Triamchaisri

Neuroscientist and Professor at Cuu Long University, Vietnam

Professor Dr. Somporn Kantharadussadee Triamchaisri is a neuroscientist and a professor at Cuu Long University, Vietnam with a PhD in Neuroscience. Her work includes research and courses related to neuroscience, as well as expertise in public
health nursing and biostatistics.

Academic and Research Focus: Prof. Dr. Somporn Kantharadussadee Triamchaisri’s
primary expertise is in neuroscience.
Previous Positions: She has held positions including:
– Associate Professor at Mahidol University
– Professor at the Faculty of Science, Cuu Long University, Vietnam
Degrees: She holds a PhD in Neuroscience, an MS in Biostatistics, and a BSc in Public Health Nursing.
Areas of Work: Her work encompasses neuroscience, public health, SKT Meditation
Healing Exercise, and biostatistics.

Keynote

Professor Takayo Kimiya

Professor Dr. Quazi Monirul Islam

Panel 1

Professor Dr. Andreia Jorge Silva da Costa

Professor Bih-O (Becky) Lee

Professor Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong

Panel 2

Professor Dr. Eleanor Holroyd

Associate Professor Dr. Aranya Chaowalit

Panel 3

Assistant Professor Dr. Vivien Xi WU

Professor Dr. Ladda Thiamwong

Professor Dr. Praneed Songwathana

Panel 4

Professor Wai Tong CHIEN

Associate Professor Dr. Waraporn Kongsuwan

Assistant Professor Dr. Knoo Lee

Panel 5

Associate Professor Dr. Karnsunaphat Balthip

Professor Dr. Somporn Kantharadussadee Triamchaisri