Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi outlines MHESI’s strides and policy direction for Thailand’s higher education, science, research, and innovation system, fostering optimism and confidence in the ministry’s pivotal role in Thailand’s advancement.
Today, on January 11, 2024, at the Samyan Mitrtown Complex in Bangkok, H.E. Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi, the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (HESI) of Thailand, presented the outcomes and achievements of the first three months in office. She also outlined the policy direction for Thailand’s science, technology, and innovation (STI) system to enhance the country’s future development at the “Future Thailand” event. The event brought together more than 800 key individuals, including university presidents from across the country, public sector executives, leaders from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (MHESI), and researchers in the Thai STI system.
Minister Supamas highlighted that during the initial three months of the current MHESI administration, significant policy groundwork had been laid, and several important initiatives had been set in motion to meet the needs of students, families, entrepreneurs, and the general public. These initiatives included waiving TCAS university admission fees for students, the successful launch of the THEOS-2 Satellite, and the practical application of research and innovation outputs from universities to support commercial utilisation. The establishment of the Futurium Innovation Center aimed to empower Thai youths to compete internationally in STI, support for startup enterprises, and the development of electric vehicles designed and manufactured in Thailand for widespread use were also achieved. Furthermore, initiatives such as the AI system for Thai citizens (Open Thai GPT) and the “Traffy Fondue” problem-reporting platform for public affairs were implemented and utilised. Minister Supamas expressed gratitude to Thai universities and MHESI agencies nationwide for these accomplishments.
The “Future Thailand” event serves as a platform for gathering valuable suggestions and policy inputs from over 800 university presidents, MHESI executives, and researchers from all corners of the country. These key stakeholders play a vital role in shaping Thailand’s higher education, science, research, and innovation policies for national development and advancement. The event aims to chart the course of Thailand’s future development by seeking input from representatives, university lecturers, professors, researchers, and private sector leaders. It also welcomes suggestions from the leadership of the Council of University Presidents of Thailand, encompassing all four groups of universities, and affirms MHESI’s commitment to driving the country forward.
Additionally, H.E. Minister Supamas outlined key directions for the Ministry’s future endeavours, emphasising “good education, happy living, adequate income, and effective research and innovation to address society’s concerns.” Nine key points for the ministry’s future efforts were delineated, including ensuring access to quality education for all citizens, education contributing to happiness and economic opportunities, and research and innovation benefiting all Thai citizens. The event also introduced the concept of MHESI Fair Events to promote Thailand’s innovation products globally and establish a leading museum of innovations within the ASEAN Community. Each sub-province will aim to have at least one trademark innovation, and Thailand’s space initiatives will explore new possibilities. The Ministry and the STI ecosystem will enhance Thailand’s soft power on the international stage, and new funds and grants will support researchers and universities.
For each of these focal initiatives, strategic plans and responsible agencies will be designated. The “Future Thailand” event brought together university presidents, government executives, and MHESI leadership from across Thailand, showcasing MHESI’s capacity to drive Thailand’s knowledge-centric system forward confidently.
In pursuit of the aforementioned policy objectives, H.E. Supamas has outlined six key agendas with the support of Thai university presidents:
1. Reforming the curricular system, particularly in high-demand fields, to enable students to graduate before the traditional 4-year curriculum.
2. Revamping the education and learning system to incorporate and promote essential contemporary skillsets, such as AI, Data Science, Cloud, Coding, and e-commerce.
3. Collaboratively establishing new curricular to facilitate exponential learning and entrepreneurial education, including cooperative and work-integrated education or extracurricular activities.
4. Jointly implementing a “skill transcript” system to assist students in recognising acquired skills each year and promoting their enhancement and refinement.
5. Establishing a National Credit Bank system to encourage and facilitate lifelong learning among Thai citizens.
6. Supporting and promoting education, teaching, research, funding, and the establishment of testing centres to boost the adoption of electric vehicles (EV) and foster the growth of the Thai EV industry. Higher education institutions are strongly encouraged to incorporate EVs into their internal affairs, particularly for campus public transit buses and common transportation.
Additionally, H.E. Supamas expressed delight in acknowledging the high-quality personnel within MHESI and the Thai STI system who have received various awards and recognition. MHESI extends recognition and applause to its awarded staff and members, as well as those expected to receive important awards in the future. Awards have been granted to inventors, scientists, and researchers who have achieved distinction in six international invention contests, with 151 esteemed researchers and 35 outstanding higher education members among the recipients. MHESI holds in high regard and congratulates Thai STI personnel and scholars who have earned other significant accolades.
Minister Supamas affirmed, “Our past achievements, our forthcoming initiatives, our policies for universities, and the readiness and capacity of MHESI personnel all contribute to my optimism and confidence that MHESI will play a pivotal role in Thailand’s development and rapid advancement.”
