Higher Education in Thailand Focuses More on ASEAN thailand.prd.go.th/view_news.php?id=7162&a=3 Higher education in Thailand is focusing more on developing human resources to cope with economic and social changes that will be brought on by the ASEAN Community. The issue was discussed at a seminar on the topic “Thailand’s Higher Education toward ASEAN,” held recently by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University. In his speech at the seminar, President of Mahidol University Professor Rajata Rajatanavin pointed out that higher education is regarded as the main pillar in the creation of human capital for economic and social development. Today, both state and private universities in Thailand need to develop human resources not only for Thailand but also for ASEAN. Educational institutions must prepare for the new situation, when about 600 million people in ASEAN become members of the same community. The question is how to ensure that these people of different races, religions, cultures, and lifestyles live together in peace and harmony. They should be encouraged to use their resources jointly, with compassion and contribution for the benefit of ASEAN as a whole. This would strengthen political and economic stability in the region and lead to the well-being of the people. Professor Rajata stated that, in preparing students for the ASEAN Community, emphasis should be placed not only on educational programs and professions, but also the right attitude and social responsibility, as well as morality. All higher educational institutions are now attaching greater importance to producing graduates with high professional and ethical standards. Rector of Thammasat University Professor Dr. Somkit Lertpaithoon stressed the need for all universities to give emphasis on four issues. They include the teaching English and other foreign languages, knowledge and understanding about ASEAN, cultures of ASEAN peoples, and the quality of Thailand’s higher education. Associate Professor Somphob Manarangsan, President of the Panyapiwat Institute of Management and former lecturer at the Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University, said that Thailand needs to prepare the workforce in response to changes to take place in CLMV countries, namely Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 07:19:01 +0000
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