• Research That Drives Real Change: Thammasat prioritises research with social impact over academic output alone. Notable examples include national policy contributions on youth violence prevention and advocacy for reproductive health rights among ethnic minorities—efforts that earned the university a high score in the “Research on Peace and Justice” category.
• Justice Across All Disciplines: Justice at Thammasat transcends traditional fields, being integrated into nursing, anthropology, business, and more, ensuring graduates are equipped with a multidimensional understanding of fairness and are prepared to support social equity in diverse careers.
• Strong Government Collaboration: Serving as a neutral academic space, Thammasat collaborates with public agencies through policy-focused research and advisory roles, achieving a perfect score in the “Working with Government” category. Over 70 experts were appointed as government advisors, and more than 125 collaborative projects were conducted in a single year.
• Academic Freedom Rooted in Responsibility: The university fosters a culture of academic freedom and civic responsibility, promoting open dialogue and critical thinking. This commitment contributed to its strong score in university governance, reflecting Thammasat’s enduring role as a “University for the People.”

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Thammasat University has secured the top position in Thailand and fourth globally for its work on Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16): Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. The achievement was announced in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025, which assessed over 1,214 universities worldwide. This success is not an overnight accomplishment but the result of a clear strategy driven by the vision of being a “Knowledge Hub for a Just Society,” reflected through tangible actions across various dimensions.

A Deep Dive into the Three Core Strategies for Success

Assistant Professor Chol Bunnag, Director of the Centre for SDG Research and Support (SDG Move) and Assistant to the Rector for Quality Development and Sustainability at Thammasat University, revealed that this success stems from systematic work centred around three key areas of operation.

1. Research for Impact

Thammasat focuses not merely on academic publications but on research that can create real, tangible change in society. Key examples include:

• Research on Youth Violence: The study “Pathways, Situations, and Factors Associated with Youth Violence in Educational Settings” conducted an in-depth analysis of the root causes of violence in educational institutions. Its findings were used to develop national policies and a prevention manual in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
• Research on Reproductive Health Rights: The qualitative study, “A determination of the influence of birth control among minority women in Thailand,” involved fieldwork to amplify the voices of women from ethnic minority groups, advocating for equality in the public health system and respect for cultural diversity.

The quality of this research is reflected in the university’s high score of 84.8 out of 100 in the “Research on Peace and Justice” category.

2. Interdisciplinary Justice

At Thammasat, the concept of justice is not confined to the faculties of Law or Political Science but is integrated into all fields of study to foster fairness in multiple dimensions. Examples include:

• The Faculty of Nursing, which emphasises human rights within the healthcare system and equitable access to public health services.
• The Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, which studies and exposes structural inequality, acting as a voice for marginalised groups.
• The Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, which promotes the concept of a Social Economy and creates fair market mechanisms to support vulnerable communities.

This interdisciplinary approach ensures that Thammasat graduates possess a deep understanding of social dimensions and are prepared to be citizens who drive change.

3. Government Collaboration & Good Governance

Thammasat serves as a “neutral space,” linking academic knowledge with public policy-making. This earned the university a perfect score of 100 in the “Working with government” category, demonstrated through concrete actions such as:

• In 2023-2024, over 70 academics and researchers were appointed as advisors to government agencies at all levels.
• More than 125 policy-focused research projects were conducted in collaboration with the government in a single year.
• The SDG Move research centre partnered with the Thailand Science, Research and Innovation (TSRI) office and a network of universities nationwide to assess sustainability situations and gather local-level data to help shape the country’s national Science, Research, and Innovation (SRI) plan.

From Ideology to Practice: Organisational Culture and a New Generation of Citizens

This success is deeply rooted in an organisational culture committed to “Academic Freedom,” a stance Thammasat recently reaffirmed as a core principle. Providing a space for students and staff to ask questions and express themselves constructively, within a framework of social responsibility, was key to the university achieving a high score of 93.8 out of 100 for its “University Governance Measures.”

Asst. Prof. Chol Bunnag concluded, “Freedom must exist within a framework of responsibility, aimed at the public good, and be guided by reason and the rules of society. At a time when the world is confused about the line between ‘freedom’ and ‘lawlessness,’ Thammasat chooses to define freedom with mindfulness and principle.”

The ranking is merely a reflection of a greater mission. More importantly, Thammasat continues to uphold its founding ethos as a “University for the People,” committed to nurturing a new generation of citizens with a heart for justice, ready to build a sustainable society that leaves no one behind.