The Synthesis of Higher Education Innovation and Utilization for Private Higher Education Institutions in Thailand

Abstract

The objectives of this research were (1) to synthesize and classify the categories of higher education innovation in Thailand, (2) to analyze the categories of higher education innovation for private higher education institutions in Thailand and the utilization of those higher education innovations, and (3) to extract lessons learned of good practices of higher education innovation for private higher education institutions in Thailand. Samples consisted of research on topics related to higher education innovation, higher education innovations that are good practices, and researchers or innovators who create higher education innovations. The three kinds of research instruments were a data record form, a survey questionnaire, and an in-depth interview form. Data was collected during July 2023 - February 2024. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyze the data. The major research findings were as follows: (1) there were 214 synthesized Higher Education (HE) innovations and most of them were innovations from autonomous Higher Education Institutions (26.17 %), followed by government HEIs (25.23 %) and Rajabhat Universities (25.23 %), private HEIs (20.10 %) and Rajamangala University of Technology (3.27 %), respectively, (2) HE innovation is divided into 6 types: 1) Innovation in curriculum and learning management, 2) innovation in manpower production and development, 3) technology innovation, 4) innovation in new mechanisms or processes, 5) social innovation, and 6) database innovation, and (3) HE innovations that are 5 good practices and lessons learned include 1) a short-term income-generating and high-impact training course, 2) a system for checking students into class using facial recognition technique, 3) Sustainability Driving Model: UPC4Local-SDGs Action Model, 4) Merli Process Management System and AGI Platform, and 5) New Learning and Teaching Management Platform for the Post-COVID-19 Era.