Universities going offcampus for courses

Jurin Laksanawisit Education Minister

Nowadays, universities are going to the students and not vice versa.

Many institutes now reach out to prospective applicants with offcampus programmes at strategic locations nationwide.

Phitsanulok's Naresuan University has rented space in Wave Place, deep in the heart of Bangkok, to attract students to its various master'sdegree programmes. Some courses feature evening or weekend classes.

To boost its accessibility to prospective students, Songkhla's Thaksin University has also opened three courses in Bangkok's Sinobrit Building.

And this phenomenon is not occurring in the capital alone, but elsewhere too.

Chiang Mai University now hosts a Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme in Samut Sakhon, while Chon Buri's Burapha University has opened a branch in Suphan Buri.

Popular destinations for offcam¬pus classes in the Northeast are Udon Thani, Khon Kaen and Ubon Ratchathani.

Lamphun, Lampang and Chiang Mai have attracted many offcampus classes, as well.

On the bright side, students will have greater choice and can attend classes more conveniently.

However, Assoc Prof Dr Chiradet Ousawat, president of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, is concerned these courses consisted only of classrooms and lecturers.

"What about a library? Where can students conduct research?" he said.

Chiradet also chairs the Association of Private HigherEducation Institutions of Thailand.

"Some institutes have even conducted classes in hotels," he said.

He also lamented some programmes were launched without proper preparation, and their graduates subsequently ended up jobless.

"I hope the latest stance by the Education Ministry will ensure these programmes are of high quality," Chiradet said.

Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit recently issued an announcement requiring all highereducation institutes' offcampus pro¬grammes to be of the same quality as those conducted on campus.

Chiradet said if the government allowed state universities to open as many offcampus classes as they liked, many private universities would have no choice but to go out of business.

"Private universities don't receive state subsidies. How could we compete with state institutes in term of tuition?" he said.

Assoc Prof Dr Mondhon Sanguansermsri, who heads a panel in charge of central admission systems for universities, said some offcampus programmes closed quickly, because they could not attract enough students to remain viable.

"A pure MBA is no longer a popular choice. Students are interested in something more practical, such as logistics," he said.

As well, he said government officials and members of local administrative bodies were now one big group of university students.

"They all receive scholarships. Their fields of interest are public administration and local administration," Mondhon said.

He said he personally had no problem with the number of institutes of higher education in Thailand. With 160 of them, some private institutes complain there are too many.

"I think the high number means universities will have to improve themselves to beat the competition. Only quality institutes will survive," Mondhon added.

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REACHING OUT

Offcampus degree courses in Songkhla and nearby provinces:

Mahamakut Buddhist University (based in Bangkok)

Venue: Songkhla Education Centre at Matchimawas Temple

8 Bachelor's courses including Buddhist studies and Political science.

Master's courses

Buddhist studies

Political science

Sociology

Educational management

Mae Jo University (based in Chiang Mai)

Venue: Hat Yai Commercial School

Bachelor's courses

Marketing

Business information technology

Tourism development

Political science

Suan Dusit Rajabhat University

Venue: Huai Yod Vocational College (Trang)

Nine Bachelor's courses including Marketing and Computer busines.

National Institute of Development Administration (based in Bangkok)

Venue: Wat Klong Rian School (Songkhla)

Master's course

Public administration

Khon Kaen University's College of Local Administration (based in Khon Kaen)

Venues: Phuket Education Centre (Phuket Vocational College)

  Songkhla Education Centre (Thaksin University's Faculty of Anthropology and Sociology)

  Trang Education Centre

  Surat Thani Education Centre (Tapee College)

Bachelor's courses

Local administration

Fiscal management

Public heath and environmental management

Engineering and urban management

Master's courses

Local administration

Police and community administration

Ramkhamhaeng University (based in Bangkok)

Venue: The Regency Hotel (Songkhla)

Bachelor's courses

Law

Venue: Hat Yai International Business School

Master course

Business administration (English programme)

Doctoral course

Business administration (English programme)

Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University (based in Bangkok)

Venue: Songkhla Rajabhat University

Bachelor's course

Liberal arts

Songkhla Rajabhat University

Venue: Hatyaiwittayalaisomboonkulkanya School

Bachelor's courses

Industrial technology

General management

Human resources management

Accountancy

Marketing