Thai universities fail to match last year’s Asia rankings

[webfact]

Thai universities fail to match last year’s Asia rankings

By The Nation

 

 

THAILAND’S HIGHER-EDUCATION standing has dropped at the regional level, with most Thai representatives in the Asia University Rankings 2018 falling.

 

Of 10 Thai universities on the prestigious list, seven did not score as well as last year. 

 

“The decline of several Thai universities in the rankings is worrying,” said Phil Baty, editorial director of global rankings at Times Higher Education (THE). 

 

THE released the Asia University Rankings 2018 ranking yesterday. 

 

Mahidol University is the best-ranked Thai institute on the list – clinging to the 97th spot that it held a year earlier. But King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, slipped out of the 101-110 band and ended up in 114th place. 

 

 

Chulalongkorn University also spiralled downward, falling from the 151-160 band to 164th. King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang has been kicked out of the 181-190 band and moved to the 201–250 band. 

 

Chiang Mai University suffered an even bigger blow, falling from the 171-180 band to the 201–250 band. Both Khon Kaen University and Prince of Songkla University dropped from the 201-250 band to the 251–300 band. 

 

King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok is in the 301–350 band this year, down from the 251+ group a year earlier. But Suranaree University of Technology performed better, ranking 168th this year, up from the 191-200 band the previous year while Kasetsart University is in the 251–300 band, similar to the 251+ group last year. 

 

According to Baty, while Thailand’s higher education sector has been partly hurt by rapid rises in other Asian nations, such as China, there are many changes the country could do to improve in future years..

 

“The nation must find ways to stem large falls in student enrolment, potentially by attracting more students from overseas or by merging or closing institutions. It must also make fundamental improvements to its research environment. Only then will Thailand be able to stand out among the heavy competition in the world’s largest continent,” Baty said. 

 

Singapore, which like Thailand is an Asean member, secured the top place on the Asia University Rankings 2018.

 

The National University of Singapore is ranked first, while Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University stands in the fifth spot. In between are China’s Tsinghua University at second and Peking University at third, with the University of Hong Kong in fourth place.

 

Sharing the fifth spot is the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, while the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Japan’s University of Tokyo, South Korea’s Seoul National University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology round out the rankings’ top 10.

 

For the full list of Asia University Rankings 2018, please visit https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2018/regional-ranking.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30338118

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-07

[trainman34014]

Now just wait for all the excuses !         ''It's all a big misunderstanding''.....''Many of our teachers were sick ''.....''These are old outdated figures ''....,''Nobody understand Thailand ''.....'' We teach Thai Style ''.....'' Difficult year because Royal Funeral '', Etc etc.

 

Truth is the downward spiral will continue as other countries continue to progress their education systems and this country doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of ever coming anywhere near the same standard.

[CelticBhoy]

Thailand 4.0?

 

Thailand 0.4    . . . . . that's more like it  

[selftaopath]

The wealthy send their children abroad to be educated. So who "in charge/wealthy" really cares? 

 

Just like the typical village schools are more in line with day care centers rather than institutions for learning.  It's criminal to waste human resources/minds. But then does significant rule of law abound?

 

It's heart wrenching to see little kids scamper to the local schools thinking they are being prepared for adult life with ample tools to succeed. Little do they know how they are being robbed. But how much is spent on education i.e. grand theft.

[Thian]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Singapore, which like Thailand is an Asean member, secured the top place on the Asia University Rankings 2018.

 

Yup that's what i thought.....Singapore is the best, KMUT is in the 300-350 range......that's very sad for a country which will be the new hub for robotics.

[BobbyL]

According to Baty, while Thailand’s higher education sector has been partly hurt by rapid rises in other Asian nations, such as China, there are many changes the country could do to improve in future years.

 

And I assume those changes will all be taken on board and implemented. 

[thhMan]

When I went to enrol my kids in a "christian" school in Chiang Mai, I asked the Computer teacher, what sort of Network they run... He had no idea!

I took it as perhaps he misunderstood what I meant... 
My kids didnt last the first week as the stupidity from the teachers became more apparent.

 

Now a year later, we have come to the conclusion that our kids will be handicapped if they continue being educated here.... Since deciding to leave, we have noticed many other expats doing the same thing...

 

 

[The Old Bull]

50 minutes ago, trainman34014 said:

Now just wait for all the excuses !         ''It's all a big misunderstanding''.....''Many of our teachers were sick ''.....''These are old outdated figures ''....,''Nobody understand Thailand ''.....'' We teach Thai Style ''.....'' Difficult year because Royal Funeral '', Etc etc.

 

Truth is the downward spiral will continue as other countries continue to progress their education systems and this country doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of ever coming anywhere near the same standard.

I can't understand why the Thai Bhatt is so high when everything here seems to be going down?

[Eligius]

53 minutes ago, trainman34014 said:

Now just wait for all the excuses !         ''It's all a big misunderstanding''.....''Many of our teachers were sick ''.....''These are old outdated figures ''....,''Nobody understand Thailand ''.....'' We teach Thai Style ''.....'' Difficult year because Royal Funeral '', Etc etc.

 

Truth is the downward spiral will continue as other countries continue to progress their education systems and this country doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of ever coming anywhere near the same standard.

So true, Trainman! How can Thailand ever expect to develop lots of well-educated people when there is a whole raft of subjects and topics which cannot even be mentioned, let alone debated and discussed (including here on this Forum)? You cannot get genuine higher education and critically-thinking people when the populace has a muzzle around its mouth and a noose around its neck. That is  the sad reality of Thailand in the year 2018.

[jaltsc]

“The decline of several Thai universities in the rankings is worrying..."

 

I know a person with a master's degree who is unable to multiply fractions. I'm not puzzled by how this person got a master's. I'm puzzled how this person ever made it to fifth grade.

Edited February 7, 2018 by jaltsc

[RichardColeman]

Oh, dear. Now even the 'Educated' foreigners don't understand Thailand !

[irwinfc]

truth be told, there are no academic institutions here. they're all just in the "teaching" business with no real interest of making students learn. 

[chippendale]

The Thai economy is built upon the pillars of agriculture, cheap factory labor and tourism, which don't require smart minds. As long as abundant food grows out of the soil and tourists continue arriving in droves, a decent education isn't necessary, as there will always be plenty of jobs for farmers, fishermen, truck drivers, maids, cooks, waitresses, prostitutes, security guards, lap dancers, etc. Who needs literate minds for that?

 

Education leads to nothing but trouble: enlightened minds, independent thinking, self-confident citizens, calls for accountability and democracy, protests, ..... The ruling class isn't waiting for that to happen.

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, selftaopath said:

The wealthy send their children abroad to be educated. So who "in charge/wealthy" really cares? 

Not completely true; i've done 2 years at a Thai university (for almost a million baht a year) and needless to say my classmates were from rich families (some of the richest families in Thailand).

 

The university did just fly in professors from top-25 business schools from around the world so the "thainess" of the education was quite limited.

[Odysseus123]

"Don't Thai me"

 

..and so..down they go.

[selftaopath]

47 minutes ago, thhMan said:

When I went to enrol my kids in a "christian" school in Chiang Mai, I asked the Computer teacher, what sort of Network they run... He had no idea!

I took it as perhaps he misunderstood what I meant... 
My kids didnt last the first week as the stupidity from the teachers became more apparent.

 

Now a year later, we have come to the conclusion that our kids will be handicapped if they continue being educated here.... Since deciding to leave, we have noticed many other expats doing the same thing...

 

 

Thanks. Honestly I would suggest the title "Teacher/Educator" be eliminated in the job description. Are they "teachers/educators"? If so how can  so many children/youth be inept in basic educational tools? 

I frequently am aghast at how many in Thailand use their fingers to count simple math.

Edited February 7, 2018 by selftaopath
spelling errors

[wakeupplease]

When the thick as >hit & corrupt in charge do the teaching what else do you expect

[Lupatria]

2 hours ago, Thian said:

Yup that's what i thought.....Singapore is the best, KMUT is in the 300-350 range......that's very sad for a country which will be the new hub for robotics.

Looking at those in charge of education this is an unchallenged hub of robots.

[Odysseus123]

I had a chat last year to two university administrators..

 

They had shipped their lazy,self entitled son (my description) off to the US where he promptly refused to get out of bed..so they then sent him to a "prestigious" university in Bangkok where he did nothing so they were in the process of purchasing him a degree in Engineering from the local university.

 

He'll probably be building high speed railways in the next few years.

[mikebell]

Meanwhile a simple untapped source - farang retirees - goes ignored.  I was asked to teach at a local high school on account of my 38 years as a teacher and Head of English in the UK.  I gladly accepted and said I would work for free but I needed a work permit.  There's been a deafening silence since.

[klauskunkel]

it's all by design: the kids of the wealthy families all study abroad, because they can afford it, while the rest of the nation is kept ignorant on purpose. Ignorance equals compliance.

[Bob12345]

17 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Meanwhile a simple untapped source - farang retirees - goes ignored.  I was asked to teach at a local high school on account of my 38 years as a teacher and Head of English in the UK.  I gladly accepted and said I would work for free but I needed a work permit.  There's been a deafening silence since.

I wouldnt invest the time to get you a work permit either: as soon as you find out that you even have to give the kid who never showed up a passing grade you will probably leave.

Better get some 20-year old teachers from neighboring countries who do whatever is asked from them.

[johnny49r]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai universities fail to match last year’s Asia rankings

You think? Just yesterday, my wife's son learned that China has landed on Mars and that Einstein was the first man to set foot on the moon.

Go Thailand!!!

[shady86]

What do you expect where the teachers here are not focused on education but other things with students, especially females.

[Cadbury]

This looks like a job for Superman.

PM Prayut should appoint himself as Chancellor of every university in Thailand. He sees himself as the salvation of Thailand and personally runs everything else and sits as chairman on just about every committee in Thailand. Why not universities?

Problem solved. 

 

Edited February 7, 2018 by Cadbury

[NeoDinosaw]

my wife's son learned that China has landed on Mars and that Einstein was the first man to set foot on the moon.

 

Does he attend a US university ?

[xyznot]

8 minutes ago, NeoDinosaw said:

my wife's son learned that China has landed on Mars and that Einstein was the first man to set foot on the moon.

 

Does he attend a US university ?

Australian.

https://thewest.com.au/opinion/shane-wright/dumb-kids-are-a-national-disgrace-ng-b88329902z

[FritsSikkink]

How many of the critics here have actually been to university in their home country?

[OldSiamHand]

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

How many of the critics here have actually been to university in their home country?

I have.  Bachelors and a JD, and I can confirm that all of these criticisms are valid.  I pay through the nose to send my son to one of the best international schools here, but when it comes time for university I'll strongly encourage him to study elsewhere.  I should know, as I am, after all, an old Siam hand . . .

[selftaopath]

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

How many of the critics here have actually been to university in their home country?

How is that relevant? 

Edited February 7, 2018 by selftaopath