The Internationalization of Thai Higher Education over the Decades: Formidable Challenges Remain!

Abstract

Since 1990 following the formulation of the First 15-Year Long-Range Plan on Higher Education (1990–2004), Thailand’s efforts to internationalize have gradually shown some favorable results, especially in terms of the numbers of international students, programs, and partnerships. This chapter describes the 25-year evolution of internationalization examining factors speeding up or hindering progress; influences of national, regional, and international trends and partners; internationalization links; the rankings race; and quality assurance. The role of OHEC in providing leadership for and facilitation of internationalization is carefully reviewed. Four factors significantly influencing internationalization are examined, namely, Thai education reform, the cultural traditions of Thai educational administration, the development of global education internationalization, and the realization of the ASEAN Economic Community. Several other crucial factors are also discussed such as visionary leadership, engagement of millennials, benchmarking, and lintegration. Much improvement needs to be made in order to realize more in terms of the quality dimension – the key to a successful internationalization process. This will in turn ensure that the alignment and integration of policies from a broad framework with consistent elements as well as the maximization of resources available will lead to the collective implementation of the desired goals.