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Dear
friends,
As you
probably
know,
the Thai
government
is in
the
process
of
transforming
universities
from
public
sector
institutions
into
autonomous
entities.
However,
the Thai
university
community
is
keenly
dissatisfied
with
this
policy
because
no
guarantees
have
been
given to
students,
parents,
society,
or even
the
university
community.
Everyone
is
wondering
what
will
happen
when
universities
become
autonomous.
Therefore,
the
government
needs to
clarify
its
position
and take
the
opportunity
to
establish
clear
policy
that
will act
as a
compass,
guiding
Thai
higher
education
into the
future.
During
the last
government,
I dealt
with
this
issue on
several
occasions.
In …….(date),
I was
part of
the
committee
reviewing
Ramkhamhaeng
University’s
Draft
Act and
was in a
similar
situation
for
Mahidol
Universiy
in (date)
and
Ubolratchathani
University
in (date).
The
pervading
concern
in such
situations
is that
the
government
will
leave
universities,
students,
and
society
itself
high and
dry.
Therefore,
to ease
tensions,
I
propose
that the
government
reassure
the
public
with 5
types of
security,
as
follows.
First,
it
should
offer
security
to
students
by
guaranteeing
that
tuition
fees
will be
fairly
set and
not
skyrocket
once
universities
are
privatized.
Also,
after
cost-effective
tuition
fees
have
been
determined,
scholarships
should
be
established
for
students
from
financially
disadvantaged
families.
These
scholarships
and
bursaries
could be
funded
by
contributions
from the
government,
universities,
and the
private
sector.
Second,
society
needs
reassurance
that
universities
will
continue
to
fulfill
their
function
of
serving
society
and will
not be
dominated
by
capitalistic
impulses.
People
want
social
concerns
to
continue
playing
a part
in
shaping
university
policy
rather
than
financial
concerns
alone.
For
example,
each
university
act
should
specifically
mandate
the
university’s
commitment
to
building
society.
Specific
numbers
of
public
representatives
on each
university
committee
should
be
listed
in
university
acts.
Policies
must be
put into
place
that
would
reassure
the
public
that
fields
of study
important
to the
development
of
Thailand
but
lacking
large
money-making-ability
– such
as
philosophy
or basic
sciences
– would
continue
to be
funded
by
universities.
Third,
the
government
needs to
assure
the
public
that
after
privatization,
the
quality
of
education
embodied
in
academic
study,
research,
and
social
services
will be
maintained.
The
government
could do
this by
ranking
departments
or
faculties
instead
of just
the
universities
themselves
and by
conducting
external
and
internal
evaluations
for both
regular
and
special
programs.
Fourth,
it must
reassure
university
personnel
that
their
freedom
to
express
opinions
will be
protected
and that
universities
will use
fair
hiring
and
employment
practices.
The
government
should
create
legal
channels
for
faculty
and
staff to
meet
together,
to
discuss
their
concerns,
and to
bring
their
concerns
to the
university
administration.
Finally,
universities
are
looking
for
reassurance
that
once
they
become
autonomous,
they
will be
financially
ready
and have
sufficient
operating
funds
without
pushing
a heavy
financial
burden
onto
students.
For
example,
the
government
could
provide
interim
transition
funds
for
universities
that are
not
ready.
It could
help to
cover
capital
costs or
use tax
mechanisms,
such as
tax
breaks,
to
elicit
funds
from
private
sector.
Whether
universities
are
public
or
private
is
immaterial.
What
matters
is that
all
public
universities
should
increase
their
role in
building
society,
conscientiously
producing
the
workforce
needed
for long
term
national
development,
producing
academic
research
that is
useful
to
society,
and
producing
curriculum
that
meets
the
needs of
students
and
society.
As well,
the
government
should
encourage
specialization
in
universities,
so they
can
develop
specific
strengths
and, in
the
future,
rise to
internationally
acceptable
standards.
These
five
guarantees
would
help to
bring
Thailand
through
this
necessary
but
difficult
transitional
stage.
In the
future,
I see
Thai
universities
recognized
as some
of the
best in
the
world.
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