Learning beyond the Classroom with an Overseas Field Trip

Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT) sent 50 students on a field trip to Singapore from 8 to 11 September 2014, as part of the “Petch Rajamangala Thanyaburi” (Rajamangala Thanyaburi Diamonds) program.

“We selected the students who have shown determination and commitment to helping the university in various areas,” says Dr. Prasert Pinprathomrat, President of the university. “The purpose of the trip was to enhance the students’ learning experiences. Singapore is a small but highly developed in the area of human capital. I am confident that this trip was an eye-opening experience for them, and hope that they will be able to apply what they learned during the trip to their work and personal life in the future,” he added.

This field trip was also part of the university’s mission to increase learning outside the classroom setting, because some knowledge cannot be passed on in the classrooms. Students need to go out and learn from first-hand experiences.

“The university wants the students to pass on these knowledge and experiences to their classmates, as a way to help improve the quality of learning at the university. Our goal, however, is to ensure that our students know the skill areas in which they are good at and can specialize in these areas by the time they graduate. We believe that our students must concurrently receive training in both academic and social skills,” Dr. Prasert says.

Apart from the Petch Rajamangala Thanyaburi, the university also offers similar overseas opportunities through other cooperative education and exchange programs. More than 200 students have been a part of these programs, and the university plans to dispatch up to at least 500 students in the future.