Publication of the Focus Thailand
Before the APAIE fair, Campus France and the French embassy in Thailand organised the Franco-Thai Country Day on 13 March in Bangkok, an event that seeks to improve cooperation agreements between the two countries. A Focus Thailand was released during the event.
Historically, Thailand is the oldest partner of France in South East Asia: in 2016, the two countries celebrated 160 years of bilateral relations. Today, cooperation between the two countries is strong, including on the university and scientific aspect through the presence of French research entities in Thailand, and funding from various scholarship programmes of the French embassy in Thailand to support the mobility of Thai students and researchers.
Higher education in Thailand
Modernisation of higher education
The Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation created in 2019 from the merger of several agencies, research entities and the former ministry. This centralisation of various stakeholders in Thai higher education, research and innovation sets the course of a policy of deep changes, with the “National Strategy 2018-2037” as main vector, with the aim reach the countries with high revenues by 2036 by the development of human capital and improvement of research.
The place of Thailand in international rankings
In the QS ranking, two Thai universities are in the Top 300 in 2023 (Chulalongkorn University and Mahidol University), four in the Top 1.000 of the THE (KMITT and Mae Fah Luang U., in addition to the aforementioned two) and also four in the Shanghai ranking 2022 (Chulalongkorn University, Mahidol University, Chiang Mai University and Prince Songkla University).
Higher education institutions
There are 156 higher education institutions in Thailand, 84 public and 72 private. About 82% of students registered in public institutions versus 18% in private institutions.
Doctorate degrees in Thailand
Public policies foster the good students towards the doctorate course, which is very high-valued in Thailand. This can also be analysed through an increase of students in thesis, +18% over five years. In 2021-2022, 91% of Thai students were studying in Licence course, 7% in a course equivalent to Master, and 2% in Doctorate.
Research in Thailand
The Thailand Science Research and Innovation agency (TSRI) draws the main national policies of research and their funding, under the direct control of the ministry. In Thailand, research is carried out mainly in universities and various specialised entities, including the 15 agencies of research depending on the MHESI, for instance the GISTA for studies in geo-computer science and spatial technologies or the TINT for nuclear research.
extra-university public research is managed by the National Agency for the Development of Science and Technology (NSTDA). In 2020, the Thai government put sustainable development as its new priority (Bio Circular Green - BCG), and in this context the NSTDA has identified four research priorities: food and agriculture; medicine and well-being; biomass; vegetal materials and biochemistry; tourism.
International mobility
Inward mobility
Thailand has welcomed 25,000 students in graduating mobility in 2020: its the seventh host country in the Asian area after India (49,300), but before by far Vietnam (8th, 8,600) and Indonesia (ninth, 7,700). Inward mobility is decreasing between 2016 and 2020 by 21%, and a lack of data over the other years cannot generalise this. Nine mobile students out of ten welcomed in Thailand come from the Asian-Oceania area (90%, very few from Oceania), while only 4% come from sub-Saharan Africa, 3% from Europe, and 2% from North America.
Outward mobility
More than 32,000 Thai students left in graduating mobility in 2020, an 8% increase in five years. This puts Thailand in 11th position of Asian countries by outward mobility, just after Japan (33,000). The main favourite destination areas by Thais are by 42% in Asia-Oceania, by 34% in Europe and by 22% in North America. However, there is a sharp increase of mobility towards Europe countries over five years (+20%), a moderate increase towards Asia-Oceania (+11%) and a decrease towards North America countries (-17%).
Mobility towards France
There are 523 Thai students registered in France in 2021-2022, including 61% women students. In slight decrease over five years (-9%), there is however pick-up over a year (+12%) after the Covid crisis. Thai students register in majority in universities (53%), where they choose disciplines such as literature, languages and humanities (39%), and exact sciences such as sports studies (30%). In universities, 39% are in licence course, 32% in master course and 29% in docotrate course, versus 8% for all foreign students registered in the university: so there is an overrepresentation of Thai students at level D. And there is a big share of Thai students registered in business schools: 22% of the total, versus 14% for all foreign students in France. The rest of Thai students are spread in high schools for higher studies (BTS or CPGE; 6%), schools of engineering (5%), art and architecture schools (4%) and other types of institutions.
Franco-Thai cooperation
The embassy of France in Thailand supports the mobility of Thai young students and researchers of excellent level through the funding of various scholarship programmes:
- Franco-Thai scholarships from the French government
- Young Talent Fellowship programme
- Hubert Curien SIAM partnership agreement
- Thai scholarship programme Royal Golden Jubilee (RGJ)
The presence of four French research entities (EFEO, Cirad, IRASEC and IRD) implemented in the country also fosters an important cooperation.
Campus France and France Alumni in Thailand
The Campus France office in Thailand, in the department of cooperation and cultural action of the French embassy in Bangkok is the first contact point of Thai students who want to continue part or all of their studies in France. With the implementation of the “Etudes en France” process for the the first time in 2021, Thai students will be supported in their mobility project.
The France Alumni Thailand network, created in 2015, registers more than 600 members (including 58 scholarship holders) and 35 events were created since its creation.
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