Thammasat University (TU) enhances the strategy to respond to the changing world with all aged learners, launching “Gen Next Academy” MOOC, a new concept allows learners of all ages can learn limitless by targeting online teaching materials 40 courses per year. In addition, it has organized the “Gen Next Academy 2018” conference to reflect new changes and innovations for the education around the world. The registration started in January 2019. For more details information, please go into the website www.tu.ac.th/gennext.
Associate Professor Kesinee Withoonchart, Rector of Thammasat University (TU) said that TU has enhanced the academic strategy to respond to the changing world and addresses new age learners to accommodate the world’s changing circumstances. Currently, the traditional learning does not fully respond to the context of the modern world and does not respond to new age learners with diverse requirements. TU has changed the strategies of teaching in 10 subjects of “General Education Reforming” to promote learners to have a leadership style, keep up with the current world and focus on the connections towards the dynamics of the global society.
Education Industry 4.0
“Gen Next Academy” is a Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC, with the integration of modern technology and teaching methods. We aim to produce online teaching materials, 40 courses per year so that learners can access them from anywhere, anytime. Moreover, in the future, the outsiders will be able to study on whatever interested them. The system will provide the opportunity to 3 groups of people which are high school students, working people and retirees. All of them can attend to enhance their skills, to review the original knowledge and to seek new knowledge to meet their needs. “Learning can done both from online and classroom-based platform”, said Associate Professor Kesinee.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Charlie Charoenlarpnopparuj, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs of Thammasat University (TU) said that the policy of the Gen Next Academy opens an opportunity for outsiders, without limiting the degree of education and age. They can study in 3 different ways.
1. Face-to-Face study in a classroom together with other Thammasat students
2. Short term training 14 weeks on Saturday and Sunday or in the evening
3. Study in the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), integrating modern technology as a new way of learning. The learners may also collect their credits (Credit Bank) and transfer to the normal curriculum after completing 25% of the curriculum and qualify for the course requirements, where the learners can graduate in 3 levels, including Certificate Level, Diploma Level and Degree Level.
To respond to the new challenges and a highly competitive world of education, Thammasat University has to adapt to meet these challenges and aim to produce graduates to become the 21st century leaders through five key strategies.
1. To create graduates with the “GREATS” attributes (Transforming you into GREATS to be able to cope with the rapid changes, to have integrated knowledge in various disciplines, to have leadership skills along with the entrepreneurial skills, and can communicate in at least 3 languages.
2. To create researches and innovations that trigger social changes (Innovation Research for Impact) and to create researches and innovations that can be used sustainably, both national and international, according to the Government’s ‘Thailand 4.0’ policy.
3. To establish internationalization and collaborated networks in both domestic and international (Going for Great Together), to expand the collaboration in various aspects such as academic and research & innovation in both domestic and international.
4. To focus on being a “World Class Services for the People” by enhancing the quality of academic services and health services that meet international standards. The Clinical Excellence Center, with the academic collaboration between the Faculty of Health Sciences, the Faculty of Sciences and Technology, and Thammasat Hospital was established to provide services to the community and the people.
5. To focus on stability and sustainability with modern management (Best Sustainable and Smart University), to focus on the development of operating system, the potential of personnel, and effective personnel management by using technology as a tool in the operation and the development of high-performance systems.
“Thammasat has evolved to the new era of education to meet the social context in Thailand and the world. We develop a curriculum structure that promotes new generations and lifelong learning. The integration of technologies in teaching system will produce skilled GREATS graduates who will acquire entrepreneurship skills and specialize in 3 languages. Thammasat is ready to become the “University of Tomorrow.”