Powering Change: Thammasat University and NGOs Unite for Transformative Education and Sustainable Development

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Thammasat University is committed to advancing education and sustainable development through strategic partnerships, research, and collaboration with Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations. One such initiative, the “Ecosystem of Meaningful Learning and Happiness” project, teams up with the Jaika Ting Foundation to support schools in Phichit Province, enhancing educational quality by aligning it with local community needs. Additionally, Thammasat’s collaboration with the Doi Tung Development Project assesses the social impacts of long-standing community programs, driving insights for rural development. Through SDG Move, Thammasat also leads national efforts on the Sustainable Development Goals, consolidating vital data and resources in the SDG Portal to promote informed, sustainable policies.

Student volunteering

Since 2022, Thammasat University’s Faculty of Learning Sciences and Education, in collaboration with the Jaika Ting Foundation, has been at the forefront of improving education in rural Thailand. Through the “Ecosystem of Meaningful Learning and Happiness” project, Thammasat continues its commitment to enhancing educational quality and fostering community-driven change in schools across Phichit Province. This initiative is part of the larger national Partnership School Project, which aims to transform education through public-private collaboration.

The “Ecosystem of Meaningful Learning and Happiness” project targets supporting four schools in Phichit Province—Bang Mun Nak, Wat Ban Huai Yao, Wang Takur, and Ban Noi Pruk—with the goal of enhancing educational management and quality.

Leveraging Phichit’s strong educational resources and collaborative networks, the project aims to create a shared vision and mobilize resources to align educational practices with community needs and socioeconomic development. It addresses key challenges, such as adapting classroom management to students’ contexts and ensuring academic strategies meet community requirements.

The project operates on three levels:

  1. Institutional Level: Schools are encouraged to transform into lifelong learning spaces, adapting curricula to real-life needs and fostering multi-grade learning to optimize resources.
  2. Network Level: Building connections among educational institutions, communities, and public and private sectors is essential for mobilizing resources for educational development.
  3. Policy Level: Findings will inform policy recommendations to enhance small and medium-sized schools nationwide, ensuring that similar contexts receive support.

Project activities focus on empowering teachers as change leaders through modules emphasizing self-awareness and innovative teaching practices. Engaging students in creative camps, such as video production and community theater, fosters critical skills and connects them to their local contexts.

This collaboration between Thammasat University and the Jaika Ting Foundation not only seeks to improve educational quality but also embodies a commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education. By fostering inclusive and equitable educational practices, the project contributes to building a resilient learning ecosystem in rural areas.

Partnership School Project’s Home page: Click the photo,

Reference to the Project: Click the Quote below.

โครงการนิเวศการเรียนรู้แห่งความสุขและความหมาย: การพัฒนาศักยภาพโรงเรียนร่วมพัฒนา จ.พิจิตร ในความร่วมมือระหว่างคณะวิทยาการเรียนรู้และศึกษาศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ กับ มูลนิธิใจกระทิง

Research with NGO

Thammasat University, led by Associate Professor Dr. Orapan Kongmalai, collaborates with the Doi Tung Development Project to conduct a comprehensive research initiative focused on social impact assessment. This project aims to compare the social impacts of the Doi Tung Development Project—initiated by the Royal Initiative and operating for over 30 years—with similar communities, specifically in Mae Salong Subdistrict.

The research uses a framework based on the 3S Model (Survival, Sufficiency, Sustainability) and evaluates 25 key indicators across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. It assesses changes before and after the project’s implementation and compares conditions with unaffected populations to ensure genuine social benefits. The findings highlight significant improvements in the project area, though some indicators related to ecological sustainability are still developing.

Reference: https://tu-rac.com/uploads/files/62/files283621_10461A_1684375203.pdf

Source: https://www.maefahluang.org/en/doitung-development-project/

Development of Educational Resources.

Thammasat University, through SDG Move at the Faculty of Economics, plays a pivotal role in international collaboration for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by serving as the national host of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Thailand. This network aims to unite experts from academia and practice to address sustainability challenges effectively.

One key initiative is the collaboration on data collection to produce “the SDG Portal”, a significant output of the project “Communicating Knowledge and Monitoring the Implementation of SDGs in Thailand.” This project, primarily led by SDG Move, is supported by IHPP Foundation, a non-profit think tank on international health policies. Together, they aim to create a Knowledge Hub that consolidates diverse SDG-related information, leveraging existing databases and educational resources from various agencies dedicated to advancing the SDGs. (SDG portal Homepage: https://www.sdgport-th.org)

The Knowledge Hub features three main components:

  1. Resources: A variety of documents, including research reports, journals, articles, books, manuals, and promotional materials in different formats.
  2. Indicators: Annual progress data presented in global dashboards from the Sustainable Development Report and specific progress data for Thailand from the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC).
  3. Actors: Information about organizations involved in driving the SDGs at all levels, including international bodies, government agencies, academia, the private sector, and civil society.

Moreover, the platform encourages users to contribute by suggesting additional resources or academic works, enhancing the comprehensiveness of the database and fostering collaboration in the ongoing effort to monitor and assess progress on the SDGs in both area-based and issue-based contexts. Through these initiatives, Thammasat University not only contributes to data gathering and analysis but also promotes an inclusive approach to sustainability efforts in Thailand and beyond.

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