A Study of the Foreign Teacher Employment System of the Higher Education Institutes in Northeastern Thailand

Abstract

The study aimed to (1) study the method,reasons and problems to regulate the criteria and conditions for employing foreign teachers in higher education institutes in Northeastern Thailand, and (2) study guidelines to determine standard characteristics of the foreign teachers and set conditions for hiring foreign teachers to be used in a standardized description. The samples were 17 key informants of 17 public higher education institutes in Northeastern Thailand. Research methods used were Semi-structured Interviews and Focus Group Discussions. The obtained data were described using Content Analysis and Content Synthesis techniques.

  The findings of the first research question demonstrated that the number of foreign teachers who are currently teaching at universities varied. In recruiting foreign teachers, most universities announced vacanies via their website and selected instructors from interviews, after which they started employment as 1-year or 6- month contract teachers based on their bachelor degrees. A salary increase for foreign teachers was not in the policy of most universities; however, some universities did increase salaries under the rector’s discretion. The evaluation system was operational for work performance, learning, teaching, and behavioral assessment. The problems of hiring foreign teachers showed that most universities encountered problems with the system of the university, privacy issues, issues of educational background, issues of teaching and learning, issues of different work cultures, and difficulties in coordination with outside agencies.

  The findings of the second research question revealed that three approaches in hiring foreign teachers were suggested: 1) the establishment of a center for hiring foreign teachers, 2) the creation of a database of namesof foreign teachers who meet the standards and qualifications requirement (responsibility of the Office of the Higher Education Commission) and 3) the development of academic cooperation with both domestic universities and those abroad in order to create a network of hiring foreign teachers and academic development.