AFTER SCHOOL

Thailand to get its first British University

Nophakhun Limsamarnphun

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Malcolm McVicar, vice-chancellor and president of the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), has spent the past three to four years nurturing a project to open a full-scale campus in Thailand.

"This will be the first British university here. We chose Thailand because the country is a good centre to reach other parts of the region and is also an attractive place for European students to study in Asia."

"Thailand's policy is to establish the country as a regional centre for education. This means a significant expansion of facilities to attract students from around the world."

"We plan to provide a total 'British university' experience here for graduate and post-graduate studies with a range of programmes taught in English - the same programmes we deliver in the UK. It's not our first international campus as we're going to open our new campus in Cyprus in about one month's time."

"Here in Thailand, we are required by Thai law to have a local partner so we've established a 51/49 per cent joint venture. The campus will be situated about 20 miles [32 kilometres] from Bangkok in Samut Sakhon province next to the golf course and housing estate of Best Group of Companies, our Thai partner."

"Besides teaching, there will be research and other facilities at the Thai campus. More importantly, there will be linkages with industries and businesses as universities have a key role to play in economic generation and helping the Thai economy to get stronger."

"Uclan dates back to 1828. It was an institute in those days. It became a polytechnic in the early 1970s and a full university about 20 years ago. Now, we have about 35,000 students, with a lot of international students from China, India, Pakistan and Thailand."

"We have some good students from Thailand, particularly in fashion and design. We will focus on providing English programmes, IT, engineering, business management, fashion and design. The initial programmes will be tailored to meet the Thai and regional economic requirements."

"We will not compete with Thai universities, but complement them as we want to offer the British experience with programmes taught by a mixture of local and UK staff so students can study at a British university without leaving Thailand."

"The young people who will graduate in the next few years will be working in the global economy so one of the key things they need to have is global experience. We want the students to study a year in Britain, a year in Thailand, and a year in Cyprus."

"The ability to move from one campus to another in the same courses and the same university will be crucial."

"In phase one, we want to build a student population of 5,000. Of this number, about 20 per cent will come from Europe, as many have expressed interest in coming here. They know that if they are going to get a good career they have to show international experience."

"Studying for a year in another country makes them more marketable as a graduate, and Thailand is an attractive place to come and live. Earlier, we looked at Singapore and Malaysia but found they were too crowded with [education] provisions."

"Over time, I think Thailand can build itself as a first-class higher-education centre, like Singapore and Malaysia. Besides Thailand, we also expect students from other Asean countries to come to our campus in Thailand, such as those from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar."

"The fees will be very competitive and much cheaper than going to study in the UK. The project in Thailand will cost Bt1 billion and we have a 49 per cent stake," he says.

-- The Nation 2012-07-12

Thailand's policy is to establish the country as a regional centre for education. This means a significant expansion of facilities to attract students from around the world."

..............a hub!

"We plan to provide a total 'British university' experience here for graduate and post-graduate studies

Oh dear! Do the locals realise what the total British university experience is?

"In phase one, we want to build a student population of 5,000. Of this number, about 20 per cent will come from Europe, as many have expressed interest in coming here.

1000 European uni students descending on Thailand to ..'study'! Mostly coming from the UK no doubt. I bet on reading this the people at the British embassy responsible for prison visits are having palpitations.

This is a good thing. As a single Dad here, I was dreading having to go and live in England again when my daughter goes to Uni. Just hope it doesn't devolve into a bidding war to get your kids enrolled.

What the university is doing is trawling for money. British schools are desperate for money. Staff cutbacks are on the horizon. And this seems like an easy way to suck money out of Thailand. I have had five or six British universities come through my office desperate for "exchanges", except the exchange only went one way--back to the UK. One of them even offered a "simultaneous degree", which only required the Thai student to pay for enrollment in the UK institution while still studying in Thailand and receive a UK degree at the same time as their Thai graduation. Pure desperation.

Edited July 12, 201213 yr by zydeco

Good grief. This is like making a big deal if Thailand had imported Ladas; Thailand gets first Russian built vehicle.

Even the university admits that out of 646 universities worldwide, UCLan was ranked 551. The comments about the structure are telling;

Here in Thailand, we are required by Thai law to have a local partner so we've established a 51/49 per cent joint venture. The campus will be situated about 20 miles [32 kilometres] from Bangkok in Samut Sakhon province next to the golf course and housing estate of Best Group of Companies, our Thai partner."

Oh yes, being located next to a golf course is so very important. Is it possible, that the Best Group will be looking to rent residences at the housing estate to students? Well, good for Best for coming up with an innovative way to find residential tenants. Students need nice places to live too. I really don't think a business should be used as a JV partner for a "university". This is a state responsibility. Surely, they could have partnered with a local academic institution.

I do love their proposed core specialties of IT, Fashion & Design as well as the catch all of "business management" And to prove that they will attract people that will build the Thailand of tomorrow, an engineering program.

Sorry, but if I was going to attend a Thai university, I'd be aiming for Mahidol and then maybe Chula. Better yet, I'd do what anyone else that's serious about an education, I'd go to Australia, or Hong Kong or Singapore if I culdn't get into Mahidol. Does one really need to go to an expensive university to learn the fundamentals of fashion and design? Hope these guys did their market research, because practically every university offers business management and IT courses. Oh well, it's a nice investment I suppose and a good place to send the profs they don't want in the UK.

I have never heard of The University of Central Lancashire and I was brought up in Lancashire.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

Will they not have to wear the uniforms? I think that is more of a worrying point

I have never heard of The University of Central Lancashire and I was brought up in Lancashire.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

I believe UCLan was once called Preston Polytechnic

I have never heard of The University of Central Lancashire and I was brought up in Lancashire.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

I believe UCLan was once called Preston Polytechnic

I wish they had mentioned that in the article. I would have laughed even more.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

I have never heard of The University of Central Lancashire and I was brought up in Lancashire.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

I believe UCLan was once called Preston Polytechnic

I wish they had mentioned that in the article. I would have laughed even more.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

Right, these are not 'real' universities but the Thais won't know that.

I have never heard of The University of Central Lancashire and I was brought up in Lancashire.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

I believe UCLan was once called Preston Polytechnic

I wish they had mentioned that in the article. I would have laughed even more.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

Just a re-brand PolyTechnic. I don't think it is a famous school.

Thailand has famous names like Shrewsbury, Hallow, etc. I think Eton & Westminster could be next, as Farang teacher are dying to teach Thailand (especially females) student sitting in front row.

Joking aside, I actually think this plan will be a (commercial) success, and could well represent a new trend.

Many British students will want to study (or party and relax) in Thailand (they will assume the campus is on a tropical beach).

Many lecturers / academics will think the same as the students (and will also be attracted by the low cost of living).

Many Thai students will be happy to study at a British university (they will assume it is good) without the visa hassle.

The university can gain financially and re-invest those funds in upgrading their facilities back home.

Farang teacher are dying to teach Thailand (especially females) student sitting in front row.

This is true of males everywhere...........irregardless of nationality.

I have never heard of The University of Central Lancashire and I was brought up in Lancashire.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

I believe UCLan was once called Preston Polytechnic

I wish they had mentioned that in the article. I would have laughed even more.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

Right, these are not 'real' universities but the Thais won't know that.

HR in Thailand doesn't understand the difference between low and high quality overseas uni's. There is a big industry in attracting overseas students to prior polytechnics.

I had a funny moment once when a Thai colleague of mine regaled me with how well educated they were for having attended such an exclusive uni in the UK. I was expecting Oxford or Cambridge. Only for me to discover that they were on exactly the same course at the same time as me. It wasn't a bad uni, but definitely not exclusive.

She was a little crestfallen. Never did hear too much more about her uni experiences after that.

Edited July 12, 201213 yr by Thai at Heart

The funny thing is, coming from Preston Thailand will be like an environment of open enquiry and academic excellence.

The funny thing is, coming from Preston ,Thailand will be like an environment of open enquiry and academic excellence.

I resemble that remark!!

Joking aside, I actually think this plan will be a (commercial) success, and could well represent a new trend.

Many British students will want to study (or party and relax) in Thailand (they will assume the campus is on a tropical beach).

Many lecturers / academics will think the same as the students (and will also be attracted by the low cost of living).

Many Thai students will be happy to study at a British university (they will assume it is good) without the visa hassle.

The university can gain financially and re-invest those funds in upgrading their facilities back home.

Then of course they have the problem of who will staff it. It was said that it will be competitive; where will the funding for wages come from? Or will the "Foreign" staff be prepared to take a drop in wages?

That to me is the crunch to the whole idea. Put crap in, get crap out.

Joking aside, I actually think this plan will be a (commercial) success, and could well represent a new trend.

Many British students will want to study (or party and relax) in Thailand (they will assume the campus is on a tropical beach).

Many lecturers / academics will think the same as the students (and will also be attracted by the low cost of living).

Many Thai students will be happy to study at a British university (they will assume it is good) without the visa hassle.

The university can gain financially and re-invest those funds in upgrading their facilities back home.

Then of course they have the problem of who will staff it. It was said that it will be competitive; where will the funding for wages come from? Or will the "Foreign" staff be prepared to take a drop in wages?

That to me is the crunch to the whole idea. Put crap in, get crap out.

The wages at these top international British boarding schools in Bangkok are very high in comparison with your teflers in government schools. The teachers are real teachers.

"We plan to provide a total 'British university' experience here

Does that mean it will be the first uni here with an S. U. Bar?

About time.

"We plan to provide a total 'British university' experience here

Does that mean it will be the first uni here with an S. U. Bar?

About time.

RAG WEEK!!!!

Take a look at the website of Stamford International University "a true international university" founded by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. http://www.stamford.edu/about-stamford/ Note all the errors and poor English.

..............a hub!

Here we go!

I have never heard of The University of Central Lancashire and I was brought up in Lancashire.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

I believe UCLan was once called Preston Polytechnic

Must say I have never heard of it so it must be some third rate (ex Poly) establishment - perfect for Thailand then

I'm studying for a BSc in astronomy on-line with the University of Central Lancashire whilst living in Thailand. The full degree will likely take 10 years or so to complete.

However, I hope they don't expect potential students to be fluent in English. The assistant manager in the condo where I live supposedly has a BSc degree in English from a Thai university. Well, the office has posted a number of notices over the last few days and the grammar in them is absolutely appalling. In fact, as a native speaker, I'm not 100% certain what is meant.

Alan

"We plan to provide a total 'British university' experience here

Does that mean it will be the first uni here with an S. U. Bar?

About time.

RAG WEEK!!!!

No alcohol in Thai Uni. By law.

I'm studying for a BSc in astronomy on-line with the University of Central Lancashire whilst living in Thailand. The full degree will likely take 10 years or so to complete.

However, I hope they don't expect potential students to be fluent in English. The assistant manager in the condo where I live supposedly has a BSc degree in English from a Thai university. Well, the office has posted a number of notices over the last few days and the grammar in them is absolutely appalling. In fact, as a native speaker, I'm not 100% certain what is meant.

Alan

Have you been to Lancashire? Sorry MESmith, but I can go on all day about this.

Are the notices of this nature

"Dunt park thee bike int road ut dooer"

"Put wood in't hole gentle like"

"Tek the clogs off afore entrin't room"

This university ranks 70/119 in the guadian uk universities league table for 2013. Its not a top university but then again, its british.

Some of the British universities are coming or already in Asia having campuses here. eg. Nottingham in Malaysia and China. and Reading has a campus in Malaysia too. Overall its good for Asian students cos they pay cheaper fee and other costs compare to the uk.

This university ranks 70/119 in the guadian uk universities league table for 2013. Its not a top university but then again, its british.

Some of the British universities are coming or already in Asia having campuses here. eg. Nottingham in Malaysia and China. and Reading has a campus in Malaysia too. Overall its good for Asian students cos they pay cheaper fee and other costs compare to the uk.

True, but what do they actually get? Lectures in English are useful, but they can already do this at ABAC, SASIN etc

To my mind (and I see a lot of CVs and interview a lot of people in my line of work) the advantages of studying abroad are much greater than simply having a better education in the classroom than at a Thai university - which anyway isn't necessarily the case.

Two things inparticular:

Living in a foreign environment and realising that the preconceived notions that come with growing up in Thailand are not necessarily the be all and end all.

Using English day in day out for every small thing until you are able to comfortably converse and do business in English

I don't see that going to a foreign branded university here will answer either point any more than wearing a Man United shirt will make you Wayne Rooney.

It does not matter that this university is one of Britain's worst. It will still far outshine the locals schools here, when it comes to English skills, which is sorely needed here. The educational standards here are some of the lowest in the developed world. What the Thai government, the educational apparatus, and the Educational Ministry are perpetrating onto the Thai people should be classified as a crime. Much improvement is needed. The entire educational structure need to be dismantled, and built up from stretch, using a model like they use in Malaysia, as an example. Much needs to be done, and there is little time to waste. Thailand was the 21st largest economy 5 years ago. Now, it is the 25th. They are losing their place in the world at an alarming rate, and if nothing is done, the lifestyle they have worked so hard to achieve will erode, and they will be surpassed even by such lowly neighbors at the Philippines, Burma, Laos, and Vietnam. Time is a wasting, and I do not see any leadership.

I have never heard of The University of Central Lancashire and I was brought up in Lancashire.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

i did my law degree here, the main campus in in preston