University Accreditation In Thailand

[Scott]

This article was submitted by another mod and may be of interest to some:

In preparation for ASEAN economic integration in 2015, British Embassy Bangkok is supporting ASIC on university accreditation in Thailand

Recently Mr Bradley Jones, UK Trade & Investment Director gave a speech at a seminar on university accreditation hosted by ASIC. The seminar was attended by presidents and deans from more than 50 universities in Thailand. At the seminar, Prof Dr John Wilson gave an introductory talk on ASIC mission and how it assist international institutions to develop into high quality education providers.

https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/university-accreditation-in-thailand

[Ticketmaster]

Based on what I have seen at Thai universities, I don't see how they could possibly be accredited by any legitimate international accreditation body. What goes on with forcing instructors to give passing grades regardless of performance, etc., is shocking. If these universities were suddenly accredited and actually followed the accreditation standards, half of the free-wheeling Thai students, who seem to believe a degree is an entitlement, would flunk out immediately.

[richard10365]

Ticketmaster, I do agree that does happen but I've seen many students fail at my university for not making the grade. I think having an independent accreditation agency validate a university's performance is good but think it should come from ASEAN rather than from an organization outside the region. In fact, ASEAN is already looking at this issue. I believe ASEAN is interested in adopting already established best practices from around the world and unifying it under the ASEAN banner to implement across the 10 ASEAN nations.

[Ticketmaster]

Richard, I certainly do not know about all Thai universities, but here at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok, it's terrible. A friend of mine gave three female students (from well-off families) the grades they deserved after they refused to fulfill the requirements of an assigned project. The students came in angry demanding the grades be changed. My friend refused, offering extra credit projects if they wanted to improve their grades. They refused, going to his [Thai] supervisor instead. His supervisor called him into her office in front of the three students and ordered him to raise their grades to what the students were demanding. Having no balls (in my opinion) he complied and moved on. I would have absolutely refused and resigned on the spot.

I have repeatedly heard similar anecdotes. And then I wonder about that bridge that collapsed a week or so ago, which had just been repaired under the guidance of engineers. Did these engineers have a solid education? My brother-in-law (who speaks English well) is an electrical engineer and doesn't seem to understand the concept of polarity in the context of residential wiring. He certainly doesn't think it makes any difference, an attitude that would horrify an electrician in the West.

I have a friend who has a Thai masters degree in architecture and would like to go the the US to earn a doctorate, but the US universities refuse to recognize her masters degree and says she has to start her doctorate at the beginning. I understand why this is; the US institutions know what is going on here. Now she is looking at Australia.

If it is an Asean organization that will handle the accreditation, they should certainly use standards consistent with the West. The World needs to share standards so there is some consistency. For at least a period of years, the Asean organization should be subject to oversight by a western accreditation organization. The goal is not some kind of colonialism. The goal is a reliable educational system and Asia in general has a track record of and reputation for cheating.

[Baerboxer]

Ticketmaster, I do agree that does happen but I've seen many students fail at my university for not making the grade. I think having an independent accreditation agency validate a university's performance is good but think it should come from ASEAN rather than from an organization outside the region. In fact, ASEAN is already looking at this issue. I believe ASEAN is interested in adopting already established best practices from around the world and unifying it under the ASEAN banner to implement across the 10 ASEAN nations.

Good points Richard. I have seen many students fail at Thai universities for not making the grade. I've also had pressure applied to me by a UK university when I was a part-time lecturer to increase exam and/or assignment grades for particular students for a raft of reasons.

I do agree that the independent accreditation should come from ASEAN, rather than an outside the region "quality assurance company".

[asiaexpat]

Many Thai Universities have US government approval for veterans to attend. Also, many Thai students attend the universities I have worked with in the USA for post graduate work, including members of my family. The university in Bangkok that I am currently affiliated with has no control over my grading or has anyone even attempted to suggest a grade. My family has other members that are professors (lecturers) teaching at five different universities and they routinely fail non-performing students. Most Thai universities are already accredited with the regional organization. While that accreditation may not be as impressive as a UK or USA regional accreditation, it is in place.

[Rhys]

Sadly it is can be... in one university...where a teacher from a particular faculty demands that his non-attending ...Ghost students pass a general English class.because it makes his faculty look bad when his students fail English.

However the students of this particular faculty, who did attend class, actually showed interested and passed on their own merit..

Thus institutionalized cheating by the old guard...the ones who need to retire..

Sadly this teacher push and was part of the old guard and got her way..

Odd..when the students fail Calculus...the grades are posted and many..fail..and these student repeat the course..

Watchout for the fertilizer in the soil...

Edited May 20, 2013 by Rhys

[Stradavarius37]

Its funny how folks like to use the phrase "many Thai universities". It makes me wonder whether they actually have a sufficient knowledge base to claim to know about "many". I would imagine they actually only know about "a few", or "one".

[thaicbr]

Its funny how folks like to use the phrase "many Thai universities".  It makes me wonder whether they actually have a sufficient knowledge base to claim to know about "many".  I would imagine they actually only know about "a few", or "one".  

Do you know about any?

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

[Scott]

You might be right about the 'any','many' and one, but I do know a fair number of people who are involved in hiring and they have a fairly wide exposure to quite a few--whatever that means--universities around the country.

[Stradavarius37]

Its funny how folks like to use the phrase "many Thai universities". It makes me wonder whether they actually have a sufficient knowledge base to claim to know about "many". I would imagine they actually only know about "a few", or "one".

Do you know about any?

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

Yup, 1, and even then, my exposure is limited because the university has 36 faculties, of which I am a member of only one. Exposure to graduates can certainly be a telling indicator, but I would imagine even that sample size is small when compared to the whole.

Edited May 21, 2013 by Stradavarius37

[asiaexpat]

Stradavarius37, Sorry for lack of exposure and basic knowledge on this subject. A quick look at the US Dept of Education listing of approved universities for veterans would clear up your lack of knowledge. Additionally, I or family members, all that lecture at Thai Universities (6 different universities)currently , have had such students in our classes or met them at the Univ. As for accreditation, again online databases are available for to verify acceptance of Thai students that attended Thai Universities (accepting the accreditation.) My nephew, three nieces, and two sons all attended Thai universities and then obtained graduate level acceptance in USA, Australia, New Zealand and UK.

[ajarnsiam]

Just trying to stick to some facts...

An article posted here a few weeks ago showed that some Thai universities are in the top 8% worldwide (from memory, I haven't revisited the article) based on an independent survey from a recognised body. I'd say that's pretty impressive when they're competing with the likes of Oxbridge, MIT, Harvard etc.

Any of the many surveys of school results worldwide will show that Asian countries dominate results for literacy and numeracy; whereas in my home country it's commonplace now for school-leavers at age 15 to have difficulty reading a fire warning.

[Stradavarius37]

Stradavarius37, Sorry for lack of exposure and basic knowledge on this subject. A quick look at the US Dept of Education listing of approved universities for veterans would clear up your lack of knowledge. Additionally, I or family members, all that lecture at Thai Universities (6 different universities)currently , have had such students in our classes or met them at the Univ. As for accreditation, again online databases are available for to verify acceptance of Thai students that attended Thai Universities (accepting the accreditation.) My nephew, three nieces, and two sons all attended Thai universities and then obtained graduate level acceptance in USA, Australia, New Zealand and UK.

I would like to know the sources for those online databases you cite.

Edited May 25, 2013 by Stradavarius37

[Stradavarius37]

Just trying to stick to some facts...

An article posted here a few weeks ago showed that some Thai universities are in the top 8% worldwide (from memory, I haven't revisited the article) based on an independent survey from a recognised body. I'd say that's pretty impressive when they're competing with the likes of Oxbridge, MIT, Harvard etc.

Any of the many surveys of school results worldwide will show that Asian countries dominate results for literacy and numeracy; whereas in my home country it's commonplace now for school-leavers at age 15 to have difficulty reading a fire warning.

Some folks here are determined to paint all institutions with the same black brush. While most are substandard, they few that are doing well, are still lumped in as "All, every, etc"

[richard10365]

When I brief new students at my university I tell them it is up to them the type of education they want to receive. They can choose to study hard and apply all they have learned, or they can be lazy and just get by. Sure they will get a diploma when they graduate. However, they might as well forget about studying at the graduate level if they have a low GPA. Also, with all graduates from south-east Asia graduating into a labor market of 600 million ASEAN citizens,chances are someone from another country will get the job that they want in their home town. We use the same text books as they use in the USA. Most of our case studies come from Harvard. They study in a great multi-cultural environment (greater than 70% foreign). If they don't get an excellent education, it's their own fault.

[Stradavarius37]

Stradavarius37, Sorry for lack of exposure and basic knowledge on this subject. A quick look at the US Dept of Education listing of approved universities for veterans would clear up your lack of knowledge. Additionally, I or family members, all that lecture at Thai Universities (6 different universities)currently , have had such students in our classes or met them at the Univ. As for accreditation, again online databases are available for to verify acceptance of Thai students that attended Thai Universities (accepting the accreditation.) My nephew, three nieces, and two sons all attended Thai universities and then obtained graduate level acceptance in USA, Australia, New Zealand and UK.

Here is an interesting thing - from http://gibill.va.gov/resources/education_resources/foreign_schools.html from your cited source. I did a search of approved programs from the cited source - I found 24 Thailand universities on the approved list.

[Stradavarius37]

When I brief new students at my university I tell them it is up to them the type of education they want to receive. They can choose to study hard and apply all they have learned, or they can be lazy and just get by. Sure they will get a diploma when they graduate. However, they might as well forget about studying at the graduate level if they have a low GPA. Also, with all graduates from south-east Asia graduating into a labor market of 600 million ASEAN citizens,chances are someone from another country will get the job that they want in their home town. We use the same text books as they use in the USA. Most of our case studies come from Harvard. They study in a great multi-cultural environment (greater than 70% foreign). If they don't get an excellent education, it's their own fault.

While their own effort is up to them, setting an institutional standard for quality is up to you and your colleagues.

Edited May 25, 2013 by Stradavarius37

[richard10365]

When I brief new students at my university I tell them it is up to them the type of education they want to receive. They can choose to study hard and apply all they have learned, or they can be lazy and just get by. Sure they will get a diploma when they graduate. However, they might as well forget about studying at the graduate level if they have a low GPA. Also, with all graduates from south-east Asia graduating into a labor market of 600 million ASEAN citizens,chances are someone from another country will get the job that they want in their home town. We use the same text books as they use in the USA. Most of our case studies come from Harvard. They study in a great multi-cultural environment (greater than 70% foreign). If they don't get an excellent education, it's their own fault.

While their own effort is up to them, setting an institutional standard for quality is up to you and your colleagues.

Thank you for pointing out the obvious.

[Stradavarius37]

Is it obvious? With the tendency towards mercenary attitudes I find in most expat "educators" in Thailand, I think that sometimes obvious issues require refit cement from time to time.

[Stradavarius37]

Somehow reinforcement turned into refit cement with my autocorrect