Foreigners to be allowed to set up universities in Special Economic Zones
By The Nation

 

Credit : http://www.taksez.com/

 

BANGKOK: -- Thailand is planning to allow foreigners to set up universities in Special Economic Zones in an effort to address skill shortages.

 

The plan has already won the green light from the joint meeting of the Cabinet and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). 

 

Government Spokesman Lt General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said that to implement the plan, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha will have to invoke his power as the NCPO chief under Article 44 of the Interim Constitution first. 

 

According to Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin, Article 44 is the proposed solution because the plan involves the exemption of some normal rules. 

 

“If we use normal rules of the Office of the Higher Education Commission, it will take too long for such universities to kick off. If we wait that long, Thailand may not be able to produce necessary human resources for the new trends in time,” Teerakiat said. 

 

He pointed out that Thailand still had a shortage of robotics and electric-train programmes at universities. 

 

“But we have set our sights on embracing Thailand 4.0,” he said. 

 

According to Sansern, foreign educational institutions will be allowed to offer courses which are not available in Thailand to Thai students, primarily in special economic zones. They must also comply with Thai regulations and meet the standard criteria for all university-level courses. 

 

The Cabinet also wanted foreign institutions to provide vocational programs in Thailand. Stricter requirements will, however, have to be met in order to prevent them from competing with Thai vocational colleges.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30315506

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-05-17

Great, I'm gonna set one up. Just fill the classrooms with as many students as possible and get the cheapest teachers I can find. I will put very little money back into my uni and simply think of ways to make more money.

 

My uni will be brilliant. Just a shame I have to have students in it. 

So you think foreigners will come to invest lots of money, and then spend endless time setting an institution of excellence, only for it to be taken away at a later date by the country, probably by some trumped up excuse or change in the law. Do you think we are that stupid?

The major problem I see in this is that foreigners will expect the students arriving to have already attained a high level of education.

I think maybe they need to back up a bit here and seriously improve the standard of education being delivered in the schools first.

The first step in that would be to employ some English teachers that can actually speak and understand English.

"Do you think we are that stupid?"

Yes. I was the engineering manager at one of these set ups.
You'll be surprised how institutions like to have a foot- hold in Asia.

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Thats.... a surprisingly forward-looking, progressive policy. What's the catch?

Then employ locals with dodgy certificates to teach and English teachers who cannot or will not learn how to speak English.

 

Back to the Drawing board then Article 44

They might want to learn differences between universities and colleges.

And just where are teachers or professors to come from? No mention of visa acceleration or waiver.

This latest scheme is not well thought out, demonstrating the dire need for higher education....

16 hours ago, webfact said:

They must also comply with Thai regulations and meet the standard criteria for all university-level courses

For "standard criteria" read "dumbed down"

Edited May 18, 20179 yr by grumbleweed

Will they be forced to adopt the "no fail" policy?

just need to find a guy who came to thailand who fell in love and is now looking for a way to stay. who knows starting up a university might become more popular than starting a bar.

Hiso's pay a good price for their little princes and princess's diploma's.

14 hours ago, debate101 said:

Thats.... a surprisingly forward-looking, progressive policy. What's the catch?

The catch is that no students or decent teachers want to live in the Industrial Zones of Rayong.

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Stricter requirements will, however, have to be met in order to prevent them from competing with Thai vocational colleges.

 

One certainly would not want to introduce any competition into Thailand. Protectionism rules all.

I'm not sure the government realise the massive undertaking required to open a university. Apart from the physical construction, the investment in staff and the 8-10 years to get accreditation when there are a still minimal students it would take someone with very deep pockets and a long term plan.

double

Edited May 18, 20179 yr by Prbkk

Just now, Prbkk said:

We've seen this before with Australian universities in China: the kids have extremely low levels of English and yet they still manage to graduate. It's somewhat scandalous and is now the subject of scrutiny by the Chinese govt. Hope that isn't repeated in Thailand.

 

2 hours ago, Emster23 said:

They might want to learn differences between universities and colleges.

And just where are teachers or professors to come from? No mention of visa acceleration or waiver.

This latest scheme is not well thought out, demonstrating the dire need for higher education....

Why would they need visa acceleration or waiver? It wouldn't be difficult for qualified foreign faculty to get visas under the current rules.

19 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Great, I'm gonna set one up. Just fill the classrooms with as many students as possible and get the cheapest teachers I can find. I will put very little money back into my uni and simply think of ways to make more money.

 

My uni will be brilliant. Just a shame I have to have students in it. 

Wow!!! You've reached the pinnacle of Thainess.

Low hanging fruit for diploma mill scammers to get in business with little more than clever marketing . 

 

Not so the year I spent in Lang Fang teaching university Foundations study courses so student could attend an Australian university.
Students had to study IELTS, Maths, Business Studied, and Computers as part of the course.
Graduates had to get an IELTS of 6.0 or better.
I had 5 different classes and the majority ended up in Australia at Australian Universities.

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

Lot's of you don't know what you're talking about.

I ordered and set up the computer and electronic equipment, and the mechanical equipment at the college start up here in Thailand at Laem Chabang.

I also taught the diplomas.

We offered an Australian diploma in Electronics and one in Computers.

The curriculum was exactly the same as they use in Australia.

We also cross references the Thai and Falang Curriculum, so the students could come out with an Australian diploma and Thai certificate.

And.....I've got the ulcers to prove it.

All the students, that I know who graduated have made their Thai companies millions.



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2 hours ago, TEFLKrabi said:

I'm not sure the government realise the massive undertaking required to open a university. Apart from the physical construction, the investment in staff and the 8-10 years to get accreditation when there are a still minimal students it would take someone with very deep pockets and a long term plan.

"He pointed out that Thailand still had a shortage of robotics and electric-train programmes at universities. "

 

This might help.

 

Great tell me why BALL STATE UNIVERSITY comes...

YES  YES we want everything but NO COMPETITION as we now we are unable to do the right things alone by ourself...but please not compete with us as the world is just THAILAND

20 hours ago, the guest said:

So you think foreigners will come to invest lots of money, and then spend endless time setting an institution of excellence, only for it to be taken away at a later date by the country, probably by some trumped up excuse or change in the law. Do you think we are that stupid?

What you say happens with gold mines so why not universities?

5 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Will they be forced to adopt the "no fail" policy?

 

And where does that happen? Certainly not Thailand as I know people, Thai and foreigners who have failed degree courses here.