On 1 February 2022, the cabinet approved a higher education sandbox measure and authorized the National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy Council (Policy Council) to review and give approval to applications made by higher education institutes to set up a sandbox.  

The higher education sandbox initiative is part of the reinvention of Thailand’s higher education driven by multiple changes and megatrends including technological progress and disruptions, aging society and multistage life. It allows higher education institutes to experiment with new forms of education that have not yet been regulated in order to deliver workforce meeting the demand for the economic and social development.  

NXPO in collaboration with the Office of Permanent Secretary for Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Ministry developed a proposal to establish the higher education sandbox. The proposal that entails guidelines, criteria, conditions and procedure for higher education institutes to apply for setting up a sandbox for both degree and non-degree programs was endorsed by the Policy Council in 2021 before proceeding to the cabinet. The approved higher education programs will be monitored and evaluated so that standards for quality assurance can be established.