Future Thailand - Innovation in Education and Workforce Development

Stanford Thailand Research Consortium Panel Discussion to Address Skills Gap in Workforce Development

STANFORD, Calif., May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Innovative Teaching Scholars (ITS) program, a key research initiative of the Stanford Thailand Research Consortium (STRC), will share its progress and explore industry perspectives on enhancing preparation of university students for Thailand's transition to an innovation-based economy, during a virtual panel discussion between participants at Stanford University and in Thailand.

The event, Future Thailand — Innovation in Education and Workforce Development, scheduled for Wednesday, 2 June, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ICT, will focus on issues of importance to Thailand's future, specifically the need to improve workforce readiness and to develop best practices to support educators in engaging and preparing the nation's youth.

Panelists will include Stanford faculty and researchers, and key executives from Thai corporations. Stanford panelists are: Sheri Sheppard, Richard W. Weiland Professor in the Stanford School of Engineering, and Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, Adjunct Professor in the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. Invited industry panelists include: Kantima Lerlertyuttitham, Group Chief Human Resources Officer at Intouch Holdings and Chief Human Resources Officer at AIS; Vittakarn Chandavimol, Chief Corporate Strategy and Creation, AP (Thailand); and Ruangroj Poonpol, Chairman, Kasikorn Business Technology Group.

Educators, members of the public, and reporters are welcome to attend the virtual event which  will be conducted in English, with live audio translation available in Thai. Webinar link: https://stanford.zoom.us/j/91270258461?pwd=eXdVQkZmWmdTd1RRaXQ0R3MvMEVqZz09

Many Thai graduates are discovering a gap between the knowledge they've attained at university and the skills needed to launch successful careers and become innovative leaders inside organizations. To better engage students and improve learning outcomes, the ITS program explores how to enhance educator development and capacity for creating engaging, student-centered learning experiences.

"Our program has deeply benefitted from the opportunity to work with so many dedicated university educators here in Thailand," said Britos Cavagnaro, who serves as program lead for the ITS program. "However, each of these educators' home universities will be the real beneficiaries, as the Scholars bring new ways of thinking and working to the experiences of their students and by serving as resources to their fellow educators who seek to create educational transformation."

The education research topic areas accord with transformation opportunities identified in the Thailand 4.0 economic model to equip Thai students with 21st century skills so that they become creative and purposeful leaders who thrive in an innovation-based economy. In the face of global challenges, accelerating technological disruption, and Thailand's rapidly aging population, innovation in educational experiences and workforce development are critical for societal and economic progress.

The research project also specifically looks to identify key factors for growing communities of practice that support Thai educators in creating constructive change in their learning environments and institutions for short and long-term transformation. Key to this work is deepening understanding and alignment between higher education goals and the needs of Thai companies as drivers of economic prosperity. "At their best, educators are relentless in finding new ways to engage their students in preparing them to design the lives and careers they want to pursue," said Sheppard. "And by appreciating the rapidly changing skill demands of industries in the 21^st century, communities of educators can innovate better together in creating the environments and practices needed for contextually meaningful learning outcomes."

Through this work, the ITS program will seek to grow its community of educators to over 250 faculty across numerous Thai universities by 2023. This event is an opportunity for educators to contextualize their findings with real-world industry perspectives on supporting the development of students and graduates.

The Innovative Teaching Scholars program is an initiative of the Stanford Thailand Research Consortium , which supports Stanford faculty-led research and education projects pertinent to key development areas for Thailand's future. The STRC is based in Stanford's Office of the Vice Provost and Dean of Research, managed by the Stanford Center for Professional Development, and collaborates with SEAC in Thailand. The Consortium is supported by funding from AP (Thailand), Advanced Info Services PLC (AIS), and Kasikornbank.