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Published on July 14, 2007

The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) for Higher Education in Thailand sets basic academic qualifications for students in nine subjects - computers, science, education, English, nursing, agribusiness, bio-technology, service management and tourism.

Two new subjects - logistics and aviation management - will be added soon, commission Secretary-General Krissana-phong Keeratikorn told a Bangkok meeting of 300 university lecturers and educators on the coming use of NQF in their institutions.

The NQF can "almost guarantee" employment for graduates from universities that use it, he said.

All state universities, colleges and Rajabhat universities will discuss the implementation of the NQF at a meeting on July 21 at Siam City Hotel in Bangkok.

Krissanaphong called on lecturers not to view the NQF as the commission's invention to intervene in their academic affairs.

"The NQF is a basic guideline for students to earn minimum qualifications in each subject they take," he said.

Today's labour market does not need graduates in great numbers, but in quality - those who can do their employers' work.

"The NQF will only improve educational standards and make establishing goals for academic quality easier," Krissana-phong said.