Focus On Real Work Experience: Thailand Education

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Focus on real work experience

CHULARAT SAENGPASSA

WANNAPA KHAOPA

The Nation

Nation U chief says English and internships will be key features for its students

BANGKOK: -- Nation University (Nation U) - this private university has been heard of for only 15 months, but its president has vowed to make changes in Thailand’s higher education as it produces graduates who will be professionals with strong working experience.

Nation Multimedia Group (NMG), its operating group, has many subsidiary companies running different media related businesses. They are providing Nation U with media experts who pass on working experience to its students directly, according to Asst Professor Pongin Rakariyatham, president of Nation U.

"Our university's uniqueness is teaching by professionals. Our target is to produce graduates with professional skills. They will be able to begin work immediately after they're employed without training," he said in an exclusive interview with The Nation.

He added that professional skills were among three identities that the university was trying to create in it students. The two others are English and communication skills.

To equip them with working or professional skills, students must intern with NMG's companies during the four years of their study at the university. Also, students from different fields would have the chance to work in different companies and businesses since 36 leading firms would join Nation U's cooperative education project, providing annual corporate internships for undergraduates.

Four real companies would be open soon for the students to work in and earn money. The firms would run businesses about television production, websites, tourism and services and event organisers. "So, they will learn from real working," he added.

In an attempt to boost English skills, each undergraduate would have to study subjects in English - twice the criterion issued by the Office of Higher Education Commission (Ohec). Ohec requires only 12 credits, but the Nation U students must study in English for at least 27 credits, he said.

Pongin said they would be trained to create high-quality communications and present their thoughts or ideas clearly through digital and social media.

"These are the differences of Nation U when compared to other universities," said Pongin.

Nation U has faced difficulties similar to other private companies which must compete with state and autonomous universities that are more popular among students. "We've tried to promote our strongpoints and make them known to more people, and we've received better feedback. More students have applied in many programmes, especially communication arts. Our website providing information about this programme has been among the top five university websites of communication arts programmes with the highest viewings."

"The performance of our students in the workplace will also help prove the quality of our curriculum when they graduate and enter work areas," Pongin added.

He also hoped the three identities fostered in the students would help prepare them for coming changes in the Asean Economic Community. "We've encouraged them to think beyond Thailand."

Pongin said a language centre would provide non-degree programmes for the students and others to learn English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Myanmar.

To widen students' views and experience, Nation U is working with Beijing University of Agriculture to exchange students from both countries and allow them to transfer credits.

"We will offer international programmes in business administration, mass communication and English for international communication in the 2013 academic year. We plan to approach students in China, Vietnam and Myanmar and also other Asean countries," he said. The university had set a goal of 1,000 students enrolled in all the programmes each year - with at least 30 per cent of them foreigners.

Meanwhile, an EX MBA (master of business administration) programme will be offered to executives to help develop them as leaders in the region. Those who take this programme will be given a chance to visit Beijing in order to learn about business administration and meet and get to know businesspeople there during a six-day visit. They can also use this chance to create their own business network with Chinese people.

-- The Nation 2012-05-17

[khaowong1]

Great idea's if it can all work out.. Somebody's got to try something. Being taught the necessary skills by someone who actually works in the marketplace is done in the US, Great Britain, Australia and some European countries. And it works.

[Rionoir]

But will the businesses actually hire them, or just abuse the steady stream of free labor, aka interns? Seriously doubt there's going to be any real rules (and if there are they won't be enforced) to protect the interns from this.