Universities Agree To Push Back Start Of Academic Year From 2014: Thailand

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Universities agree to push back start of academic year from 2014

Chuleeporn Aramnet

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Freshmen starting university in 2014 will likely have a four-month summer vacation before their first semester, following yesterday's agreement by representatives of state and private universities to commence classes in August-September, instead of June.

Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) secretary-general Chinnapat Bhumirat, said Obec would have to discuss the possible impacts of the agreement with the other main agencies under the Education Ministry before deciding whether to approve it.

Top officials from the Office of the Higher Education Commission (Ohec), Council of University Presidents of Thailand (CUPT), Council of Rajamangala University Presidents of Thailand and Association of Private Higher Education Institutions of Thailand yesterday agreed to reopen at the same time as universities in Asean nations and many other countries from 2014 in preparation for the launch of the Asean Economic Community the following year.

Universities that offer international programmes will be asked to adjust their reopening dates from 2013, said CUPT president Prof Somkit Lertpaithoon.

"Universities that are ready to adjust their schedules now can do it sooner than the others. They are allowed to start from the next academic year, 2012," he said.

Some universities have reported they would prefer to adopt the earlier openings from the upcoming academic year. They include King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi and Naresuan University.

Ohec deputy secretary-general Assoc Prof Piniti Ratananukul said after yesterday's meeting he would propose the plan to Education Minister Prof Suchart Thadathamrongvech and discuss it with Obec, the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (Ovec) and relevant professional organisations so they understand the proposed change.

He said the adjustment of the reopening dates would benefit the country's higher-education system.

The meeting assigned Somkit to study the impact on people involved, especially students, and find ways to adjust the direct and central university admissions periods to prevent any negative impact from the date change, Piniti said.

Somkit said the CUPT had discussed the issue with related agencies and did not expect the adjustment would cause them any problems.

"[senior officials] said Obec and Ovec do not need to follow the resolution, as their students would have more time to study, so the students and teachers would not have to rush to complete their lessons before taking the direct and central admissions tests. Moreover, the universities will have more time to prepare their freshmen in terms of language skills and basic education before they start the new semester," Piniti said.

Chinnapat said it would not be necessary for other agencies to adjust their reopening schedules.

Late last year, the CUPT announced it would let its member universities reopen at the same time as other universities in Asean and other countries.

The council requested that all 27 of its member universities push back their first-semester opening dates from June to August from 2014.

-- The Nation 2012-02-07

[Ijustwannateach]

Ok, so instead of the 'squeeze an extra term in the year' they're going to 'squeeze an extra vacation in the year'. That's not too bad.

[marquess]

Interesting, this should mean that full time lecturers will be able to take a holiday in the Northern Hemisphere at the height of the summer instead of the uncertain months of April and May. This will have more effect on the universities that have a three term system, I know that at AU University some faculties have a three term system and some two. So late August-Nov/Dec and then Jan-April.