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HIGHER EDUCATION
IN THAILAND
Mrs.Varaporn Seehanath, Ph.D.
Deputy Secretary-General
for Higher Education Commission, Thailand
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Presentation Outline
Thai Education System
Higher Education System
Quality Aspect
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Thai Education System
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Higher Education Providers
 Major provider: Ministry of Education
Office of the Higher Education Commission, Office of Vocational
Education Commission
 Other providers:
i Ministry of Public Health
- Praborommarajchanok Institute for Health Workforce Development,
- Boromarajonani College of Nursing
i Ministry of Defense
- Phramongkutklao College of Medicine
- Royal Thai Naval Academy, Royal Thai Air Force Academy,
Chulachomklao Royal Minitary Academy
- Royal Thai Navy Nursing College, Royal Thai Air force Nursing College,
Royal Thai Army Nursing College
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Higher Education Providers
 Other providers:
i Ministry of Culture
- Bunditpatanasilpa Institute, College of Fine Arts
i Ministry of Agriculture
- Irrigation College
i Ministry of Transport
- The Civil Aviation Training Centre
i Ministry of Tourism and Sports
- Institute of Physical Education
i Under Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
- Navamindradhiraj University
i Organizations under the Prime Minister’s Office
- Royal Police Cadet Academy
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General Administration of MOE
Ministry of Education
Office of
the
Permanent
Secretary
Office of
the
Education
Council
Office of the
Basic
Education
Commission
Schools
Office of the
Vocational
Education
Commission
Vocational
colleges
Office of the
Higher
Education
Commission
Public &
private HEIs &
community
colleges
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Higher Education System
Ministry of Education
Office of the Higher
Education Commission
(OHEC)
Public universities (80)
Autonomous
universities
(15)
Universities
(65)
Community colleges
(20)
Universities
(40)
Higher Education
Commission
Private HEIs (71)
Institutions
(9)
Colleges
(22)
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OHEC’s Functions and Responsibilities
Policies and Plans
Standards and Quality System
Resources Allocation
Personnel Management and Development
Monitoring and Evaluation of HEIs
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Policy Body Governing Higher Education
Higher Education Commission
• Functions & Responsibilities
Propose higher education policies,
development plans and standards in line
with national economic and social
development plan and national
education plan
• Support allocation of resources and
monitoring and evaluation of higher
education provision
•
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Higher Education Commission
Functions & Responsibilities (cont.)
• Provide recommendations on the issuance
of HE regulations, criteria and announcements
• Provide comments and recommendations to
Minister of Education or Council of Ministers
• Provide comments and recommendations to
Council of Ministers on allocation of block
grant for public universities and autonomous
universities
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Higher Education Commission
• Members
•
•
•
•
Private sector
Local administration
Professional associations
Experts
• Number of experts must be no less than those
from other sectors.
• OHEC Secretary-General serves as Secretary to the
Commission.
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University Governance
University Council
Academic
Committee
University Audit
Committee
President
Assistant
President
Dean of College
Vice Presidents
Dean of Faculty
Director Center
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University Structure
Office of the President
Campus Offices
University
Council
Faculties/Schools
Institutes/Colleges
Centers
University Council’s Responsibilities
Public
Universities
Public Autonomous
Universities
Private HEIs
Policy formulation



Quality & standards
supervision



Regulations set up
Authorized for
personnel admin. to
the extent approved
by Higher Education
Commission
Responsibilities
Monitoring &
evaluation

Fully authorized for
personnel & financial
admin. & investment.

Fully authorized for
personnel & financial
admin. & investment.

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University Missions
Teaching
Research
Rendering academic services
Preserving and promoting art & culture
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University Governance
Type of Universities
Public universities
• Operate under their own
university act as
governmental unit
• Autonomy in academic
admin. through university
council’s approval
• Financial & personnel
admin. to comply with
gov’t rules & regulations
• Staff status as civil
servants
• Funding from government
in form of program
budgeting
Autonomous universities
• Operate under their own
university act as
governmental unit
• Full autonomy in academic,
financial & personnel
admin. through university
council’s approval
• Staff status as university
employee
• Staff hired on contractual
basis
• Funding from government
in form of block grant
Private HEIs
• Operate under Private
Higher Education
Institutions Act
• Autonomy in academic,
personnel & financial
admin.
• Same treatment as
public/autonomous public
uni. in terms of quality &
standards supervision
• Total funding from their
own revenue
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Relationship: University Autonomy VS
Government Regulations & OHEC Role
Type of
Universities
Autonomy/Regulations
Policy
HE
standards
Financial
support
Monitoring
&
evaluation
Autonomy




Partial
autonomy
Gov.
regulated




Autonomy
Autonomy




Academic
admin.
Personnel
admin.
Financial
admin.
Autonomy
Autonomy
Public
Universities
Autonomy
Private HEIs
Autonomy
Autonomous
Universities
OHEC Role
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Grouping of Universities
Research/
graduate university
Specialized/
comprehensive
university
University
Community college
Liberal Arts
university
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4 Groups of Universities
Research/graduate university
• Focus on producing graduates at graduate study level
esp. doctoral level including post-doctoral research
Specialized/comprehensive university
• Focus on producing specialized graduates in specific
fields of study and vocational training
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4 Groups of Universities
Liberal Arts university
• Focus on producing graduates at bachelor’s degree level
• Provide graduate studies esp. at master’s degree level
Community college
• Focus on producing graduates below bachelor’s degree
level
• Produce manpower to serve the needs of communities
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The Relationship between Policy
Formulating Bodies and Higher Education
Policy Statement of the Council of
Ministers delivered to the National
Assembly
National Plans
• National Economic
and Social Dev. Plan
• National Education
Plan
• Plan of other
relevant agencies
National Administrative Plan
H E Development Plan
• 5-year Plan
• 15-year Long Range
Ministerial Operational Plan
(4- year plan)
Plan
• Other specific plans
Ministerial Yearly Operational Plan
Request for Fiscal Budget
Expenditure for each institution
Contract of Ministry
/ Department
Fiscal Budget
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Quality Aspect
• University Council’s functions are to set university
policy and directions and approve the delivery of
programs of study in line with relevant HE
standards criteria set by OHEC, i.e. HE standards
criteria, TQF, and supervision through QA
mechanism at the levels of study programs,
faculty and institution.
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Quality Aspect
National Qualifications Framework for
Education (NQF)
• Launched in 2013 by Office the Education Council
• 9 levels of competencies;
1. Lower secondary education
2. Upper secondary education
3. Certificate in vocational education
4. Diploma in vocational education
5. Bachelor’s degree
6. Graduate diploma
7. Master’s degree
8. Higher graduate diploma
9. Doctorate
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Quality Aspect
• Thai Qualifications Framework for Higher
Education (TQF)
• Launched in 2009
• 6 levels of Qualifications: Advanced Diploma,
Bachelor, Graduate Diploma, Master, Higher
Graduate Diploma, Doctorate
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Thai Qualifications Framework for HE
Morality and
Ethics
Skills in Quantitative
Analysis,
Communication &
Information
Technology Usage
Knowledge
TQF
Domains of
learning
outcomes
Interpersonal
Skills &
Responsibility
Intellectual
Skills
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Quality Aspect
• Universities encouraged to apply TQF to their
programs of study - IQA at the level of programs
of study
• TQF and QA as main mechanisms to promote
student mobility nationally and internationally and
mutual recognition of qualifications
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Quality Aspect
Internal and External QA Systems
• National Education Act of 1999 stipulated Internal and
External QA Assessment
• Internal QA conducted by universities and OHEC
• External QA conducted by Office for National Education
Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA) every five
years
• IQA and TQF promotes increased student mobility, credit
transfer, and mutual recognition of qualifications
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Relationship between IQA and EQA
Internal Quality Assurance
Institutional
Operation
Institution’s
Assessment
Feedback
External Quality Assurance
Self Assessment
Report
Audit by
Parent
Organization
once every
3 years
Feedback
Site
Visits
Evaluation
Report
Monitoring
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Quality Aspect
• Ministerial Regulation regarding Systems, Regulations,
and Methods for IQA of 2010 encompasses both IQA and
EQA at all levels of education.
• IQA System expanded to include quality assessment,
inspection, and development
• Parent organizations to monitor and inspect educational
quality at least once every 3 years, starting in 2013
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Quality Policy
Development
QA system and
mechanisms
Encourage HEIs
to develop IQA
Provide
mechanisms
for quality
audit &
assessment
National
Qualifications
Framework
Credit transfer
and degree
recognition
nationally and
globally
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