The higher educational innovation subcommittee of the Policy Council recently convened to deliberate on an education system and approve higher education sandbox applications. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Dr. Anek Laothamatas, Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation. 

Minister Anek emphasized the significance of higher education sandbox scheme which empowers universities to introduce innovative education programs that address industry needs and produce job-ready graduates. The scheme encourages closed collaboration between higher education institutes and industries to design effective programs that deliver a workforce meeting both quality and quantity requirements of the industry. 

“We need to mainstream this sandbox initiative and raise awareness among universities about its significant impact on workforce development, thereby contributing to national economic growth,” said Minister Anek.  

Prof. Dr. Supachai Pathumnakul, higher educational innovation subcommittee chairman, elaborated on the content of the new courses. The first program approved is a bachelor’s degree in engineering, with a focus on manufacturing systems, to be offered by Silpakorn University, Burapha University, and King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok. Designed for e-learning, this program aims to produce 60 graduates within 3 years to meet the high demand for workers in the robotic industry. 

The second approved program is a bilingual bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a focus on the wellness tourism industry, to be offered by Burapha University. This 2-year course aims to produce 200 graduates in 3 years. It emphasizes co-creation education, involving 1 semester of coursework at the university, followed by 3 semesters of working and learning in business establishments. The program has active participation and contribution from private companies, offering in-cash, in-kind, and job opportunities to students after their graduation. 

Dr. Poolsak Koseeyaporn, NXPO Vice President and a member of higher educational sandbox working group, stated that a total of eleven applications, including the two presented in this meeting, have been approved for sandbox implementation. Among these, 7 programs have started their enrollment. These 11 new programs are expected to produce as many as 19,000 highly skilled workers for Thailand’s emerging industries.