Siam Piwat and Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Architecture join hands to launch Thailand’s first-ever program in world-class shopping mall management for sustainability

Bangkok (July 30,2024) Siam Piwat – a leading real estate and retail developer, the owner and developer of world-renowned projects such as Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery, and a joint owner of ICONSIAM and Siam Premium Outlets Bangkok, has partnered with The Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University to launch Thailand’s first retail facility management course titled “World Class Shopping Mall Ecosystem Development: Managing Urban and Facility for Sustainable Society of the Future.” The objectives of the program are to develop new knowledge in world-class shopping mall management with a focus on sustainability and create positive impacts on economic, social, and environmental development while also enhancing the capabilities of retail industry personnel and elevating Thai professionals’ competitiveness on the global stage. This initiative underscores Siam Piwat’s position as a well-growing platform.

This collaboration highlights the significance of developing knowledge and leadership in facility management for sustainability to create an impact on ESG management for the growth of Thai shopping centers. The program will help entrepreneurs understand the entire ecosystem of shopping mall management, where real estate developers and personnel from across all sectors work together and recognize the importance of collaborative management. As Thai shopping centers have been ranked among the best in the world and become must-visit destinations for global travelers, they are not only crucial factors in the urban landscape in driving economic, social, and environmental development but also help form the economic foundation as they grow alongside the city itself sustainably.

The World Class Shopping Mall Ecosystem Development: Managing Urban and Facility for Sustainable Society of the Future course is a specialized short-term training program held every Saturday from September 14 to November 2, 2024 by Chulalongkorn University Design for Society Center (CU D4S).

Specially designed around the concept of shopping district management, from building to district, and from district to city, the course aims to foster an understanding of the retail business ecosystem, covering various topics from project initiation to new trends in shopping center development, methods and approaches for global retail business operations, shopping center design, physical resource management, building management, maintenance of building engineering systems, and professional retail district management. The course will include collaboration with academics from leading institutions such as University College London and Zurich University of Applied Sciences and features faculty, speakers, and leading experts with experience both in Thailand and abroad, including Prof. Michel Pitt and Daniel Von Felten, as well as veteran executives from Siam Piwat Co., Ltd. The course is suitable for shopping center operators, project developers, business developers, project managers, building managers, architects, and building engineers

Assistant Professor Sarayut Supsook, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, stated, “As part of its policy, the Faculty of Architecture seeks to expand extracurricular learning to meet the needs of the industry and the labor market in our country’s economic system. The World Class Shopping Mall Ecosystem Development program, developed in collaboration with Siam Piwat Academy, aims to enhance knowledge and provide upskilling and reskilling opportunities for those in the workforce in order to improve their understanding of the shopping center industry, which involves the design and management of large, complex architectural structures in urban areas. The course will also focus on the management of shopping centers in Thailand to ensure their development and ability to thrive alongside urban growth sustainably without bringing about problems while strengthening the economic growth of the city at the district level. With large numbers of people involved in shopping centers, it is crucial for management personnel to understand the fundamentals of the shopping mall ecosystem. This includes the role of shopping centers and their connection with communities and cities, how to design elements in anticipation of the behavior of the public and customers, after-hours management, opening and closing times, user-centric design, and managerial psychology, all of which help to avert problems and provide smooth service to the public. Therefore, the Faculty of Architecture at Chulalongkorn University strives to foster knowledge and understanding and produce professionals for Thailand’s shopping center industry.”

Mr. Nuttawut Kietchaiyakorn, Chief Business Resources, Siam Piwat Co., Ltd., stated that Siam Piwat is a world-class project developer with long-standing commitment to sustainable business practices and the development of both internal and external personnel. This collaboration with Thailand’s leading institution such as Chulalongkorn University presents an excellent opportunity to elevate the knowledge and capabilities of the workforce in Thailand’s retail industry to the next level. Siam Piwat will bring in experts in related fields to share their knowledge as well as welcome the participants to its shopping centers to offer real-world learning experiences, reflecting the company’s role as a well-growing platform. This initiative is undertaken through Siam Piwat Academy, a learning and management institute that shares real estate development and retail business knowledge with the Thai education sector.

The program will be held across eight Saturdays from September 14 to November 2, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, totaling 64 hours. The course fee is 35,000 baht per person. Interested individuals can apply now until August 31, 2024. For more details, please follow Facebook Page: CUD4S. For inquiries, please contact us at Line OA: @cud4s, Tel: 02-218-4316, or email: contact@cud4s.ac.th.