Day, Michael ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9612-2595, Du Preez, Sara, Low, Dylan Scott and Skulsuthavong, Merisa (2021) 'Reinventing' Thai universities: Ajarn, Thailand 4.0 and cross-cultural communication implications for international academia. Journal of Mass Communication and Integrated Media (Warasan kan suesan lae sueburanakan), 9 (1). pp. 102-144. ISSN 2985-0665 (Print), 2985-0673 (Online)

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Abstract

Thai higher education (Thai HE) is changing. Thailand 4.0, a socioeconomic and educational development policy of the Thai Government, wants universities to ‘reinvent’ themselves into the world’s top - 100 and so draw closer to international ideas of quality assurance, research, impact and teaching. This has, for example, led to a radical proposed revolution in mid - 2020 for Thailand’s academic ranking system, one that is both unexpected and unprepared for. Therefore, using a literature review, alongside policy analysis, we describe publicly available information on Thai academic systems and question the forthcoming proposed changes against the pre-existing systems for academic progression. Through this, we debate the academic expectations and traditions in Thai HE. These are unique, a reflection of a country that prides itself as never having been colonised, yet favouring the borrowing, rejecting and reinterpretation of other academic systems. We propose consideration ofthe cross - cultural communication implications for Thai HE is needed, as it seeks to move towards an international setting. Then, we conclude that critical restructuring of academic ranks would create a more progressive educational policy, in line with international ideas of academia. Meanwhile, it raises further implications for cross - cultural collaboration, as well as communication, which has the potential for a lucrative knowledge exchange between institutes of learning in western higher education and Thailand.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	pedagogy; leadership; Higher Education Thailand 4.0; Professorship; communication; Thailand; culture
Subjects:	L Education > L Education (General) L Education > LB Theory and practice of education L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Educational Development Unit Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Information & Library Services
Last Modified:	15 Apr 2024 15:28
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/46704

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