Choo said SAE Institute Bangkok, which was set up three and a half years ago, has beaten its goal of attracting at least 100 new students each year.

"What we did not expect is that [the proportion of] international students has increased from 5 to 30 per cent," he said.

If Chinese students are counted as international, SAE Institute Singapore has more foreign students than SAE Institute Bangkok, which does not offer Chinese-language classes.

SAE Institute Bangkok's audio-engineering students come from many countries, including Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, France, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

"Asia is a fast-growing market. So a lot of European students want to come to the region to understand Asian music. And by percentage, more of them come to Thailand than any other country, including Malaysia and Singapore [where SAE Institute has branches], which have small music industries.

"Next year we will open in Indonesia, but the best choice is still Thailand if they [European students] want to come to Asia."

He added that tuition fees were cheaper here than at SAE Institute's other schools, though the curriculum is the same and the equipment is similar.

Another trend is that many students study in Thailand for a year to get a diploma before going on to pursue at bachelor's degree at SAE Institute London or Australia.

It takes two years without a semester break to finish a bachelor's degree in audio engineering at SAE Institute. Diplomas are issued by its headquarters in Australia. Bachelor's honour degrees are validated by the UK's Middlesex University.

While the institute's tuition of Bt170,000 per year is cheap for European students, it is too expensive for many Thai students, particularly high-school students, said Choo.

"We want to move up to high school [students]. That's why we have forged a partnership with the Vocational Education Commission to introduce the SAE curriculum to technical colleges and polytechnics," he said.

Students at technical colleges and polytechnic schools involved in the partnership programme can take the SAE diploma course for only Bt70,000 each.

Sripatum University's Digital Media Department has also agreed to allow SAE Institute to oversee its audio curriculum.

"We're open for partnerships," Choo said.

Mahajak Development, an exclusive distributor of many well-known audio equipment brands, including Denon and JBL, is the local franchisee of SAE Institute for Bangkok area. The institute is looking for other partners to help it expand to other provinces, such as Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Khon Kaen and Phetchaburi. The institute is also looking at Hat Yai.

Choo said most students studied audio engineering because they want to work in music studios. However, he added that students had also pursued careers in forensic audio, government national archives, and the Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) industry.

Besides audio engineering, SAE Institute offers courses in creative media and digital film-making, with degrees ranging from the certificate level to diplomas, as well as bachelor's honours and master's degrees. The institute operates more than 48 campuses in 22 countries on four continents.

Pichaya Changsorn

The Nation