1. Internationalisation of Thai Higher Education: Some Critical Reflections *Dr. Craig Wheway **Titiyawadee Punmanee *Lecturer, Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University, Thailand. E-mail: craigwheway@hotmail.comcraigwheway@hotmail.com **PhD Candidate, Canterbury Christ Church University. E-mail: t.punmanee144@canterbury.ac.ukt.punmanee144@canterbury.ac.uk

2. Contents 1.Historical development of the Thai Higher Education system 2.Characteristics of Thai internationalisation (Via international programmes). 3. Unequal distribution of labour 4. What isn’t measured (Quality Assurance) 5. Final thoughts

3. Historical Development Higher education systems in developing countries developed in different ways from the West. Adoption of colonial models from the British In Thailand, ‘role of the state’ and the ‘academic oligarchy’ are important (Nilphan, 2005). ‘Tight’ relationship between the two.

4. Historical Development (2) Social and cultural differences between countries. Thailand not colonised (well, not fully) Thai model criticised for have too much government control and a lack of autonomy This situation, at least economically is changing.

5. Chulalongkorn University (Elite)

6. Chulalongkorn University (Massification)

7. Chulalongkorn (Graduation) First Graduation for King Rama IX and Queen Sirikit

8. Contemporary Situation Education spending as a proportion of total GDP has increased from 3.9% in 1997 to 4.3% in 2000. As of 2009, spending was at 4.1% of GDP. Increases in expenditure not linked to increases in performance.

9. World Bank World Development Indicators (2014) Thailand Scientific and technical journal articles 2011 (latest) 2,304 1986 (oldest) 226 % of labour force with tertiary education 2012 (17%) inc colleges,/tech/universities UK Scientific and technical journal articles 1985 (oldest) 32,256 2012 (latest) 46,032 % of labour force with tertiary education 2012 (38.09%) inc colleges,/tech/universities

10. Characteristics of Thai internationalisation Through international programmes Q. What is the rationale for internationalisation? Thailand has a low number of researchers per head of population. About 40% of 18-22 year olds have access to higher education.

11. Internationalisation (3) Internationalisation has run hand-in hand with the neoliberalisation of the Thai system. Government support is slowly being eroded and fees have been introduced. Teaching in English is generally an elite activity with quality instruction in English costing close to Western levels

12. Global University Rankings Name of RankingUniversityRanking (World) Ranking (Asia) QS World University Ranking 2014/15 (World) Chulalongkorn University24348 Kasetsart University601151 Thammasat University651134 Times World University Rankings (2014-2015) Chulalongkorn UniversityOutside top 400 Kasetsart UniversityOutside top 400 Thammasat UniversityOutside top 400 King Mongkut’s University of Technology (Thonburi) Times World University Ranking: 351! (Highest in Thailand) Was a skilled labour college until 1974. Focus on engineering

13. Course fees Rajabhat Maha Sarakham English Program: One semester 16,400 baht (£339) Maha Sarakham University (Northeast) Business School International Program (Bachelor) Thai: 193,500 (4 years, £4,004) Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok) International Program (Bachelor): 2013 Entrance: Thai: 209,250 (£4,331) International: 329,750 (£6,825)

14. Student expectations They will improve their English. The academic content of courses is rarely considered. "Thai students say, study just enough to get your degree. But people like me want to gain knowledge; I need to get some ideas to get out into the world of work. I want something in the omelette. Honestly, I want the teaching and learning here to be better" (Indian student-Thai student quoted in Nilphan, 2005: 212).

15. Unequal distribution of labour? Focus on ‘human resource development’ Dominance of the Chulalongkorn, Thammasat and Kasetsart Backdrop of inadequately trained teachers in education generally (UN 21% not teaching subject trained in). Chronic ‘underemployment’ (Kittiprapas, 2002) even though headline unemployment is 0.89%!!!!!

16. The ‘elite’ and the ‘bog standard’ Contrasting the elite with the Rajabhat universities. Internationalisation in the Rajabhat universities is confined to a narrow range of subjects taught in English. MOU agreements often for ‘show’.

17. What isn’t measured (Quality Assurance) What the official statistics fail to show/indicate Quality assurance misses real quality - Supervision of teaching and research standards Ministry of University Affairs (MUA) often only check standards via whether English is the main medium of teaching

18. Quality (2) Pressure to teach rather than research (I have reference) 2,000 baht (£40) per hour rates at the big universities for additional teaching. Other universities outside the ‘big three’ (reputation) have already established international programmes.

19. Quality Assurance SAR, TQF (Thai Quality Framework) Copying of Western models (without actual checking of standards) Administrators when questioned, noted 75% of students were in employment after their studies. Detailed break down of destinations was lacking.

20. Assumption University Approach common, promotion on ‘fixed assets’ (Maybe these are more tangible in Thailand) Cathedral of Learning Elite students in international programmes do go on to get good jobs through patronage. But are they competitive in a global market place? (ASEAN)

21. Signature Architecture

22. Final thoughts Internationalisation is taking place Thai universities ‘desire’ internationalisation to add credibility. Challenges are related to structural and societal inequalities. Future research needs to consider the neoliberalisation of the Thai higher education system.