TRENDS AND TRANSFORMATIONS IN THAI HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION
Keywords:
Transformation, Thai Higher Education Management, Globalization ContextAbstract
This article critically analyzed the structures and limitations of the Thai higher education system over the past two decades by integrating Human Capital Theory, Neoliberalism, and the Capability Approach, alongside a comparative policy analysis of nine countries. The study revealed that the paradox of a system that was constantly reformed yet never changes stems from the uncritical adoption of globalization discourses, leading to institutional isomorphism that prioritizes homogenization while reproducing systemic inequalities. This was particularly evident in the contradiction between quality control mechanisms and the stifling of creative capabilities. This article proposed a strategic pathway to overcome this policy trap by introducing the Systemic Transformation Model for Thai Higher Education (ST-ICPI Model). This model emphasized policy identity as a filter against external influences, the deconstruction of governance toward an empowerment-based approach, and the creation of a learning ecosystem grounded in social justice. It advocated for institutional diversity, equity-based budgeting, and the development of critical policy literacy among leadership to transition from a system focused solely on economic productivity to one that genuinely expands human capabilities and learning freedom
References
กองทุนเพื่อความเสมอภาคทางการศึกษา. (2566). รายงานสถานการณ์ความเหลื่อมล้ำทางการศึกษา ปี 2566. สืบค้น 11 เมษายน 2569, https://www.eef.or.th/infographic-54653/
พระราชบัญญัติการอุดมศึกษา พ.ศ. 2562. (2562, 1 พฤษภาคม). ราชกิจจานุเบกษา. เล่ม 136 ตอนที่ 57 ก. หน้า 54-78.
ADB. (2019). The future of higher education in the People's Republic of China and Thailand. Asian Development Bank.
Becker, G. S. (1964). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education. National Bureau of Economic Research.
Ball, S. J. (2017). The education debate. Bristol University Press, Policy Press.
Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education.
Busemeyer, M. R., & Trampusch, C. (2012). The political economy of collective skill systems: A comparative study of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Journal of European Public Policy, 19(2), 241-260.
David Waddington. (2018). Challenges of Canada’s Decentralized Education System. College Quarterly, 21(2), 1-28.
DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147–160.
Mok, K. H. (2016). Massification of higher education and employability of graduates in China. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 38(3), 329-346.
Ng, P. T. (2020). The paradoxes of student well-being in Singapore. ECNU Review of Education, 3(3), 437–451.
Norton, A. (2020). University funding models: A comparative analysis. Grattan Institute.
Nussbaum, M. C. (2011). Creating capabilities: The human development approach. Harvard University Press.
OECD. (2023). Education at a Glance 2023: OECD Indicators. OECD Publishing.
Sen, A. (1999). Development as Freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Schriewer, J., & Martinez, C. (2004). Constructions of internationality in education. In Steiner-Khamsi, G. (Ed.), The global politics of educational borrowing and lending (pp. 29–53). Teachers College Press.
Schultz, T. W. (1961). Investment in human capital. American Economic Review, 51(1), 1–17.
Sahlberg, P. (2021). Finnish lessons 3.0: What can the world learn from educational change in Finland?. Teachers College Press.
Steiner-Khamsi, G. (2012). The Politics of Policy Borrowing. In The Routledge International Handbook of Educational Change (pp. 43-52). Routledge.
Sen, A. (1999). Development as Freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
World Health Organization. (2023). Suicide worldwide in 2023. WHO Report.
Worth, J., & Van den Brande, J. (2020). Teacher workload and wellbeing in England. National Foundation for Educational Research.
World Bank. (2018). Thailand: Strengthening the foundations for a sustainable and inclusive higher education system. World Bank Group.
Yonezawa, A. (2014). Japan’s university reforms and the changing role of government. In Higher Education in the Asia-Pacific (pp. 95-110). Springer.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of MCU Social Science Review
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
In order to conform the copyright law, all article authors must sign the consignment agreement to transfer the copyright to the Journal including the finally revised original articles. Besides, the article authors must declare that the articles will be printed in only the Journal of MCU Journal of Social Sciences. If there are pictures, tables or contents that were printed before, the article authors must receive permission from the authors in writing and show the evidence to the editor before the article is printed. If it does not conform to the set criteria, the editor will remove the article from the Journal without any exceptions.
