Thai universities go global in rankings

Outlets race to attract foreign students and offer more exchanges as competition heats up, writes Jitsiree Thongnoi in Kuala Lumpur

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In the heart of Bangkok, the campus of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand's oldest university, is becoming more international as it welcomes an increasing number of foreign students every year.

There are currently about 3,200 such students, representing a growing share of the university's 41,000-plus students across all academic programmes and levels, and the institution is committed to welcoming even more students from around the world.

"Universities everywhere have found it more challenging to attract students," said Prof Parichart Sthapitanonda, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Social Outreach, Chulalongkorn University.

"So we have tried to increase mobility among students and staff. We recently also came up with a 3+1 academic programme at the faculty of law, where undergraduate students will spend the first three years in Bangkok and the last year at a university abroad, in the end obtaining two degrees from two universities."

Despite being Thailand's top institution for a 14th consecutive year in terms of academic reputation, according to QS World University Rankings, Chulalongkorn University is not exempt from the competition that has defined higher education in Southeast Asia and the rest of the world as of late.

Across the border in Malaysia, the air at Universiti Malaya, the oldest higher-education institution in Malaysia, buzzes with similar ambition. Prof Yahaya Bin Ahmad expressed his vision during a meeting with visiting delegates from Chulalongkorn University. "Our undergraduates must travel abroad at least once before graduation," he says.

"We will provide financial assistance to encourage students to go abroad," he added. That would coincide with plans to exchange staff and students with Chulalongkorn University more often. Both universities aim not only to deepen ties but also to learn how to navigate a new era where Southeast Asia no longer goes under the radar for international students.