51 new universities concerns on readiness of being as autonomous universities

51 new universities question the readiness of being autonomous universities after the government policy to reduce the civil positions.

On behalf of the Specific Commission on Development of New Educational Institutes to Autonomous Universities, Dr. Sawang Poopatwiboon, the president of Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University says “the Commission on Higher Education has set a special commission on the Development of New Educational Institutes to Autonomous Universities after 51 universities, 40 Rajabhat Universities, 9 Rajamangala Universities of Technology and two new comers (Pathumwan Institute of Technology and Princess of Narathiwat University) have been promoted. This commission which consists with the university representatives aims to promote these universities to become more effective.”

“This conference has found concerns about the readiness of universities, after the government urgently promoted these universities to become autonomous. Meaning that there will be a large number of civil servant position reductions in the universities which leads to financial superannuation will not be returned to the university staff as they are promoted instead of civil servant positions. A long with this conference, therefore, the commission will do research to all universities in order to overlook the help request from the government by these universities. This research will also focus mainly on three main points. These are university with readiness to autonomous such as Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, university with no readiness to autonomous and university with no autonomous. Intentionally, these universities will be questioned about the help requesting from the government as partially, time to prepare to readiness and fully help, consequently.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Numyoot Songthanapitak, the president of Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi says “at the conference, we found that now we lack the staff after the government hurry to promote university become autonomous. Some university needs more time and help. For Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, we also still need 4-5 years to be developed.” He added that “In my personal opinion, if universities become autonomous universities, this will also negatively affect to poor family who might not be able to access to the educational system because of possibly high cost of tuition fee.”

Translated by Mr. Suraporn Onputtha