Bangkok: The announcement of two innovative funding projects, BRIDGE and BrighT, marks the beginning of a comprehensive reform of Thailand's higher education system, building on the Higher Education Sandbox initiative and establishing a National BCG Transformation Council at the higher education level.
According to Thai News Agency, Dr. Panphomsak Arunee, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), stated that the Erasmus+ Programme (ERASMUS+) has approved funding for Thailand to implement these two projects. The Transformative Leadership in Science, Engineering, and Management: Bridging Disciplines to Build Thailand's Next-Gen Innovators (BRIDGE) project and the Bio-Circular-Green Higher Education Acceleration for Thailand (BrighT) project aim to develop university curricula and models for higher education reform that can be scaled up nationally.
The BRIDGE project, led by Burapha University, focuses on creating a model interdisciplinary curriculum that connects science, engineering, and management knowledge to develop "Scientist Leaders." With funding of £694,302.81 over three years, this project addresses the need for personnel who can work across disciplines and create innovations collaboratively with industry.
A significant aspect of BRIDGE is its enhancement of the Higher Education Sandbox initiative, facilitating interdisciplinary and dual degree programs through collaborative curriculum design mechanisms. The project also aims to generate policy recommendations to bolster the competitiveness of Thai graduates in industries such as manufacturing, energy, logistics, and digital technology.
On the other hand, the BrighT project, spearheaded by Mahidol University, received pound 883,556.83 over four years to bolster the role of universities in advancing the Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG) model. It seeks to establish a national governance mechanism, create a BCG competency framework, and develop regional centers of excellence to reduce urban-rural disparities.
Both projects signify a crucial step towards transforming Thailand's higher education system through collaboration with the European Union. The initiatives will extend beyond participating universities, creating policy guidelines and human resource development mechanisms to be adopted nationwide, aligning with the Thailand² policy to enhance the country's competitiveness in the long term.