HIGHLIGHTS
- In 2021, Thammasat University enacted an official institutional policy—Thammasat University Notification on Measures for Stakeholder Participation B.E. 2564 (2021)—establishing binding procedures to identify and engage with internal and external local stakeholders.
- The framework legally defines stakeholders as individuals and communities directly or indirectly impacted by university operations, guaranteeing structured, independent mechanisms for public consultation, collaborative development, and curricular feedback.
- Operating across its campuses (Tha Prachan, Rangsit, Pattaya, and Lampang), Thammasat actively collaborates with surrounding communities, local enterprises, and municipal authorities on local urban, social, and economic development initiatives
Identification of Local and External Stakeholders
Under Section 2 of the Notification B.E. 2564 (2021), Thammasat University statutorily defines “Stakeholders” as persons who are unavoidably affected—whether beneficially or adversely—by the administration and operations of the university.
Sections 1 and 3 systematically identify distinct external local stakeholder categories:
- Local Service Recipients and General Public: Surrounding residents and external citizens utilizing campus infrastructure, healthcare, libraries, sports facilities, and transit systems.
- Employers and Industry Partners: External public, private, and civil society employers providing structured workforce feedback.
- Adjacent Local Communities and Municipalities: Neighborhoods, local enterprises, and administrative authorities bordering university campuses directly impacted by campus physical and operational developments.
Procedures for Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement
Section 3 establishes mandatory operational procedures across all academic and administrative faculties:
- Independent and Systematic Public Consultation (Section 3(2)): The university must provide structured, accessible channels allowing external stakeholders, service recipients, and employers to voice opinions and recommendations regarding university management freely and independently.
- Multi-Level Collaborative Partnerships (Section 3(3)): Faculties and central offices are instructed to foster active collaborations with external local stakeholders to enhance operational standards, research cooperation, and academic services.
- Mandatory Stakeholder-Driven Curriculum Reviews (Section 3(4)): When updating or launching academic degree programs, faculties are required to engage external stakeholders, alumni, and industry employers to ensure curricula align with evolving societal, environmental, and regional labor needs.
- Institutional Administrative Enforcement (Section 4): Deans, Institute Directors, and supervising Vice Rectors are statutorily charged with supporting and financing stakeholder engagement mechanisms across all university units.
Local Implementation Across Campuses
This policy is actively implemented across all university campuses:
- Academic Alignment: University faculties routinely host external stakeholder panels and employer advisory roundtables during mandatory curricular review cycles.
- Community and Municipal Joint Initiatives: Rangsit, Lampang, Tha Prachan, and Pattaya campuses coordinate with local provincial authorities, sub-district administrative organizations (OrBorTor), and neighborhood leaders on joint public health outreach, pedestrian safety, environmental stewardship, and community enterprise projects.
