FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Stamford International University gears up for Thailand 4.0 challenge

Stamford International University gears up for Thailand 4.0 challenge

STAMFORD International University, with campuses in Bangkok and Hua Hin, yesterday revealed its growth plans as it seeks to mesh its programmes with the vision of the Thailand 4.0 innovation drive.

The first Stamford International opened its doors in Hua Hin in 1995. The institution was acquired in 2012 by Laureate International Universities, which operates universities in many countries in the region.
Gilles Mahe, chief executive of local entity Laureate Thailand, said Stamford International was the only true international university in Thailand.
“About 40 per cent of our students are international, coming from 120 countries around the world,” he said. “Between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of our faculty’s members are international. We are an university that provides educational programmes that are really international and with an international studying environment,” he said.
Mahe said that Thailand needed to focus on international programs in order to comply with the Thailand 4.0 model, so that graduates would be able to be successful in a multicultural working environment. Local universities also need to establish a real connection with industry and understand the industry demand and the needed skills and knowledge, so that their graduates will be able to end up with ability to find good jobs after graduation.
“Currently, almost 97 per cent of students are in Thai programmes and only 3 per cent are in international programmes. The country needs to switch from students with the Thai programmes to international ones,” said Mahe.
He added that about there are currently two million university students in Thailand, but only 80,000 of them are studying in international programmes. “We (Stamford) see a huge opportunity to enrol more students due to the fact that only 3 per cent of university students in Thailand study in international programmes,” Mahe said. “If Thailand has more students studying in international programs, Thailand will have increased competitiveness. Moreover, we are focusing on career opportunities and graduate employability,” said Mahe. 
The country has to produce graduates that are needed and relevant to the local industries and those having international perspective, innovative and integrity.
To be in line with the Thailand 4.0 policy, the country’s educational system also needs to challenge itself to move from passive learning to active learning. “We need to develop people with innovative and creative mindsets. At Stamford, we are active learning with individual students being engaged, communicating and sharing their point of views in and outside their class room,” said Mahe.
“At Stamford, we are connected with industries. We focus on what the industries need and produce graduates that are needed and relevant to the industries,” said Mahe.
He said that 82 per cent of Stamford graduates get jobs within six months of graduation, with 31 per cent of graduates getting job offers before they gain their degrees. About 71 per cent are paid higher than the market average and 44 per cent are paid 50 per cent higher than the market average.
“With Thailand 4.0, universities need to adjust programs and deliveries to match the demand of industries and businesses of today and the future. At Stamford, we are focusing on providing our graduates with high-quality education, with up-to-date knowledge and hands-on skills to ensure that they meet the needs of the ever-fluid modern workplace,” said Mahe.
Mahe said that Laureate has a presence in China, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Australia, and New Zealand. The group is also interest in exploring business opportunities in other potential markets in Asean, including Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, including the acquisition of existing universities and taking over the management.
Andrew Scown, president of Stamford International University, said that the country needed to focus on producing graduates not for today, but for tomorrow. They needed to have communication adequacy, technical and problem-solving capabilities as well as being innovative and being good citizens of their home country and the world.
“The world changes all the time. University graduates should be flexible and keep learning for their lifetime and have ability to communicate with everyone around the world in a multicultural environment. They are also needed to have integrity,” he said.
Stamford has one campus each in Bangkok and Hua Hin, and a learning centre in the Asoke area of the capital. The university has 5,000 students in total and will produce about 1,000 graduates this year. Its programmes include international hotel management, airline business management, logistics and supply chain, international business management, and creative media design.
Scown said that with its focus on providing superior outcomes for its students, the Stamford firmly embraces the digital future and opportunities offered by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Thailand 4.0. Stamford will navigate the challenges of this new era by leveraging its ‘4-I’ framework which comprises: International perspective, Industry linkage, Innovation and Integrity.
Scown elaborated on the 4-I model and how its principles will guide Stamford through the fluid and ever-changing technological landscape. 
“Stamford is truly international and we have applied international perspective in everything that we do including the classroom experience, curriculum and standard of operation.”
 

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