Relaxed regulations allow universities to offer more courses

[webfact]

Relaxed regulations allow universities to offer more courses



BANGKOK, 26 April 2016 (NNT) - Accreditation requirements for university curricula have been simplified to allow for more courses.

Deputy Education Minister Theerakiat Jareonsettasin said the Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) will now be able to certify new university degrees without seeking approval from the Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHSC).

The Council of University Presidents of Thailand (CUPT) has welcomed the decision, which streamlines the accreditation process for new curricula.

Universities are still required by the OHSC to comply with the University Act. Without due process, university degrees for these courses will not be recognized by the OCSC. Failure to comply with the act could result in students losing career or education opportunities abroad.

The University Council will also be prosecuted if any university fails to obtain permission. Students can also file a lawsuit against their institution if they have been allowed to enroll in uncertified courses. The latest endorsement will allow the OHSC more time to investigate claims regarding uncertified curriculum.


-- NNT 2016-04-26

[chainarong]

Is there anything in Thailand that isn't regulated , one could be facetious and point out that many more UNI aged students will need to do conscription since Prayut increase the quota numbers up an extra Three hundred thousand, just to keep them from protesting on the streets, three hundred thousand less walking the corridors of learning....................................... .

[Chang_paarp]

"Failure to comply with the act could result in students losing career or education opportunities abroad. "

This assumes that Thai degrees are accepted by other countries as having value.

[Baerboxer]

"Failure to comply with the act could result in students losing career or education opportunities abroad. "

This assumes that Thai degrees are accepted by other countries as having value.

Which they are.

[DrTuner]

Is there anything in Thailand that isn't regulated , one could be facetious and point out that many more UNI aged students will need to do conscription since Prayut increase the quota numbers up an extra Three hundred thousand, just to keep them from protesting on the streets, three hundred thousand less walking the corridors of learning....................................... .

Everything is regulated, nothing is enforced.

[laolover88]

"Failure to comply with the act could result in students losing career or education opportunities abroad. "

This assumes that Thai degrees are accepted by other countries as having value.

Which they are.

What value? Where?

[gandalf12]

"university curricula have been simplified" so the degrees are not worth the paper they are written on. You cant simplify a degree course and then pretend it is worth anything

[gandalf12]

"Failure to comply with the act could result in students losing career or education opportunities abroad. "

This assumes that Thai degrees are accepted by other countries as having value.

Which they are.

Rubbish, I cant think of anywhere that accepts them as respected degree

[lujanit]

"Failure to comply with the act could result in students losing career or education opportunities abroad. "

This assumes that Thai degrees are accepted by other countries as having value.

Which they are.

Rubbish, I cant think of anywhere that accepts them as respected degree

I can.

1. Foreign universities looking to enrol Thai students will 'recognise' Thai degrees. The university I lectured at enrolled full fee paying students from all over Asia regardless of the standard of the student's degree. I agree that this is different to a wider acceptance of Thai degrees as the university here benefits.

The problem is that these students will earn a higher degree due to the no fail policy for full fee paying students.

I know several students who studied either in America, Australia or England, gained a foreign degree yet they could hardly speak english let alone read or write it. One recent student sent his assignments to his mother (who reads and writes excellent english) to complete.

2. Thai companies recognise Thai degrees. To be employed by a bank here you need a basic degree.

[Lupatria]

I assume the easiest way to get a degree today is studying "Political Science" in Thailand. Not much to learn about.

[trogers]

Is there anything in Thailand that isn't regulated , one could be facetious and point out that many more UNI aged students will need to do conscription since Prayut increase the quota numbers up an extra Three hundred thousand, just to keep them from protesting on the streets, three hundred thousand less walking the corridors of learning....................................... .

What's wrong with conscription? Would result in inferior graduates? Look at the result of graduates of Israel, Singapore and the Swiss...all with compulsory conscription of males.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I can't see that this is going to change anything for the better.

Too many Thai students right now get through school/university by cheating, copying, plagiarizing, being beneficiaries of a no-fail education system, and, I gather, at times resorting to the time-honored tradition of them or their families paying bribes or other inducements.

Too many aren't actually learning what they're supposed to be learning, or learning anything of real value, right now. And this kind of change isn't going to change that.

[laolover88]

Degrees from Thai Universities are recognised as "worthless" in the UK. Possibly the equivalent of A levels. That is not not say that, nowadays, when so called "Higher Education" has become a business, Universities, or Polytechnics, or Colleges of FE as they used to be called will not enrol rabbits if they pay the fees. Try applying for a masters degree at a Russell Group University with a degree even from Chula or Thamasat, even if you could muster a pass in the English Language requirement.

[Baerboxer]

"Failure to comply with the act could result in students losing career or education opportunities abroad. "

This assumes that Thai degrees are accepted by other countries as having value.

Which they are.

What value? Where?

American, British, Australian, Canadian, French and German universities for starters. I know Thais who have been accepted on post graduate courses at universities in all those countries having graduated from Kasetsart, Chula, Assumption, Mahidol and Bangkok University among others.

I also know several overseas universities who have joint programs or collaborative courses with Thai universities, British, French and American,

The British Council has been and is still running open sessions from numerous British universities to attract post graduate Thai students and Germany signed a MOU with Thailand to develop joint working on vocational colleges.

Students from many countries come to study at Thai universities. I have met students from Asia, South America, Europe and North America, under and post graduates.

[Baerboxer]

Degrees from Thai Universities are recognised as "worthless" in the UK. Possibly the equivalent of A levels. That is not not say that, nowadays, when so called "Higher Education" has become a business, Universities, or Polytechnics, or Colleges of FE as they used to be called will not enrol rabbits if they pay the fees. Try applying for a masters degree at a Russell Group University with a degree even from Chula or Thamasat, even if you could muster a pass in the English Language requirement.

Provide referenced research and articles to support your statement.

Or, just admit your're writing nonsense because you clearly have little understanding about universities in the UK let alone anywhere else.

Enlighten us to which degrees from which universities you received.

Edited April 26, 2016 by Baerboxer

[Baerboxer]

I can't see that this is going to change anything for the better.

Too many Thai students right now get through school/university by cheating, copying, plagiarizing, being beneficiaries of a no-fail education system, and, I gather, at times resorting to the time-honored tradition of them or their families paying bribes or other inducements.

Too many aren't actually learning what they're supposed to be learning, or learning anything of real value, right now. And this kind of change isn't going to change that.

Nope - I know Thais who failed.

Acquiring information through education is one thing, using that as knowledge through action another. Many well educated people, not just Thais, have difficulty with the latter.

Edited April 26, 2016 by Baerboxer

[Baerboxer]

"Failure to comply with the act could result in students losing career or education opportunities abroad. "

This assumes that Thai degrees are accepted by other countries as having value.

Which they are.

Rubbish, I cant think of anywhere that accepts them as respected degree

And your qualification for pronouncing an informed comment "rubbish" is what exactly?

Are you a University entrance officer, connected with those who clear students' university applications, a member of faculty, an education administrator?

Or just commenting from your own extensive empirical experience the source of which you can share with us?

Or maybe just like all the other bar stool boys who know everything about everything especially after a few?

[anotheruser]

I assume the easiest way to get a degree today is studying "Political Science" in Thailand. Not much to learn about.

Unless you want an attitude adjustment.

[Baerboxer]

"Failure to comply with the act could result in students losing career or education opportunities abroad. "

This assumes that Thai degrees are accepted by other countries as having value.

Which they are.

Rubbish, I cant think of anywhere that accepts them as respected degree

I can.

1. Foreign universities looking to enrol Thai students will 'recognise' Thai degrees. The university I lectured at enrolled full fee paying students from all over Asia regardless of the standard of the student's degree. I agree that this is different to a wider acceptance of Thai degrees as the university here benefits.

The problem is that these students will earn a higher degree due to the no fail policy for full fee paying students.

I know several students who studied either in America, Australia or England, gained a foreign degree yet they could hardly speak english let alone read or write it. One recent student sent his assignments to his mother (who reads and writes excellent english) to complete.

2. Thai companies recognise Thai degrees. To be employed by a bank here you need a basic degree.

Evidence that British universities operate a no fail policy for overseas students please.

[Baerboxer]

"university curricula have been simplified" so the degrees are not worth the paper they are written on. You cant simplify a degree course and then pretend it is worth anything

Are you familiar with the requirements of the MoE before and after the simplification referred to?

Perhaps you'd like to detail them for us.

[Merylhighground]

My employers recognise Thai university degrees the ASEAN region over, as the minimum requirement for applicants is a Bachelor's level degree (as all employees are required to work in a regional, or overseas office at some stage of their first four years).

Though as one of the main recruiters of personnel in our Bangkok office (and other regional offices) over the last couple of decades, I personally would 'value' a degree from overseas or regionally, Singapore or Malaysia over one from a Thai university, having had first hand experience of attending a Thai university.

I'm not Thai bashing here but found Thai universities far more lax in their approach to educational discipline when compared to their Western (and several regional counterparts) though, that said, I have over the years employed many Thai graduates, all of whom have provided excellent service and have been model employees,

Thankfully though, we are still big on 'traditional recruiting methods' such as the face-to-face interview process, aptitude testing, trial work periods which really can separate the Wheat from the Chaff more than judging a person's ability from a single piece of paper which can be affected by myriad factors and is not necessarily an indication of the individual applicant's knowledge or ability.

My missus is/was a tad embarrassed about her BSc, when I first met her she was hell bent, almost obsessed to the point of lunacy, with going to the next level which she finally did a few years ago before babies got in the way.....

[RawboneFunksta]

Some people here pretending to know more than they do methinks. A few Walter Mitty's!

UK universities will accept Thai students readily if they are not fully subscribed on specific courses, that is the key; student numbers = course viability, retention and money, money, money . . .

International students pay almost double the fee for many courses so they are great business.

Most UK academics are not aware or certainly not expert in foreign qualifications for either graduate entry or post-graduate entry.

Frankly, the fact that Thai students choose to study in the UK is a testament to the perceived inferiority of Thai university education and therefore the point being argued is pretty pointless, is it not? A Thai junior doctor told me this very evening that he has to go to the UK to specialise in his given field of dermatology and the most favoured universities amongst Thai doctor's are King's college, London and Cardiff university.

There may be many foreign students studying at Thai universities. Stamford for example is full of "international students" from Zambia, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Zaire, Uganda, Ukraine, Slovenia etc.

One only has to consider the uniformity and uniform requirement to learn what one needs to know about the education actually taking place and in fact there have been several recent murmuring protests from Thai students about the poor quality of conditioning teaching taking place at some institutions.

Good lord, there is an enormous difference between studying for a degree in the top universities in the UK and some other institutions there, never mind Thailand or any other country for that matter . . . university education is one thing we Brits do quite well, apparently?

[gandalf12]

"Failure to comply with the act could result in students losing career or education opportunities abroad. "

This assumes that Thai degrees are accepted by other countries as having value.

Which they are.

Rubbish, I cant think of anywhere that accepts them as respected degree

I can.

1. Foreign universities looking to enrol Thai students will 'recognise' Thai degrees. The university I lectured at enrolled full fee paying students from all over Asia regardless of the standard of the student's degree. I agree that this is different to a wider acceptance of Thai degrees as the university here benefits.

The problem is that these students will earn a higher degree due to the no fail policy for full fee paying students.

I know several students who studied either in America, Australia or England, gained a foreign degree yet they could hardly speak english let alone read or write it. One recent student sent his assignments to his mother (who reads and writes excellent english) to complete.

2. Thai companies recognise Thai degrees. To be employed by a bank here you need a basic degree.

No they dont. They take them because their government is paying the fees and those fees help pay for research the university is conducting. Thai companies recognise Thai degrees yes but overseas companies dont

[lujanit]

No they dont. They take them because their government is paying the fees and those fees help pay for research the university is conducting. Thai companies recognise Thai degrees yes but overseas companies dont

Yes they do. The university I worked at readily accepted Thai, Indonesian, Malaysian in fact any degree from anywhere if the student wanted to enrol in a post-graduate course. I personally know 2 students who enrolled in PG courses based on their Thai degree. They were both full fee paying students and the money was paid by the parents. No scholarship involved in either case. One an Australian Uni and the other a English Uni.

[gandalf12]

No they dont. They take them because their government is paying the fees and those fees help pay for research the university is conducting. Thai companies recognise Thai degrees yes but overseas companies dont

Yes they do. The university I worked at readily accepted Thai, Indonesian, Malaysian in fact any degree from anywhere if the student wanted to enrol in a post-graduate course. I personally know 2 students who enrolled in PG courses based on their Thai degree. They were both full fee paying students and the money was paid by the parents. No scholarship involved in either case. One an Australian Uni and the other a English Uni.

That is why they accepted them for the money to pay for research the university is conducting. The Uni I went to in the UK did the same and it was for the money to fund research of the university.

If you really believe what you are saying, and I have no doubt that you do, how many Thai's with Thai degrees have found jobs outside of Thailand with major companies in a capacity that reflects what you would expect from their degree? I know a few Thai's with very good jobs in foreign companies but they all went to universities in Europe, US or Australia to get their degree and had been educated in private schools overseas from an early age.