JTBF Mission to Thailand 2009 (2/23-2/27)

Visit to Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI)

reported by Kenichi Yoshida (Member of Educational Support Committee, JTBF)

Current Status of TNI

  My visit to TNI was after 2 years' interval. 2 years ago, school houses were still under construction and the campus site was not well prepared yet. Now, TNI have entered the 2nd year. Students have increased and the atmosphere has become an academic one. Dr. Supong, Prof. Krisada, et al welcomed us and spent a time to brief current status, problems and near-term future plan of TNI.

From left to right, Dr. Supong, Dr. Bandhit, Prof. Krisada, Ms. Porn-anong/

  Enhancement of facilities and curriculum as well as recruitment of students were the major focus until last year. Currently, the 1st year entry and the 2nd year entry together count 1,200. Admission process for the 3rd year entry is on going. The total number of students, including transfer-in to Master courses, will be 2,300 in this year. Some students, after entry, leave for other universities. Then, they assume 10 to 15% entry reserve. School house "C" was under construction in coping with increasing number of students. An over all impression was that TNI has got off to a smooth start.

  In regard to qualification of students, they achieved 3.5 to 3.8 evaluations while in high schools, which represent top 10% of high school students. In Japan, the deviation measurement, being used to indicate an acceptance level of the first class universities, is 67 and higher, of which population is 15%. Comparing to that, scoring of TNI students are considered to be quite high. TNI has introduced an admission-on-recommendation program as well as a scholarship program. Other than the regular examination entry, TNI accepts a certain number of students as they are recommended by high level high schools. Combined with this program, TNI also commits, in advance, to giving scholarship to those who are graduated from up-country high schools, where majority of students are of low income families. They said they accepted 240 excellent students in this manner this year. Scholarship amount is 30,000B, 60,000B and 90,000B, which could be an attractive incentive comparing to 30,000B of annual school tuition.

  TNI has started student interchange programs with Japanese universities. 26 students are going to be sent for short-term education in Japan in Aril and May as they are dispersed to Kyushu University, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Osaka Institute of Technology, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Tokai University and Tohoku University.

Organizations of TNI

  TNI provides ordinary students and working people with Bachelor course and Master course together with day course and night course. Available faculties are as follows. Each curriculum responds to the industrial needs and has future potential.

  Faculty, Bachelor Course, Master Course

  Bachelor Course （4 years）

• Engineering Degree
• Automotive Engineering Course （AE）
• Computer Engineering Course （CE） ※
• Production Engineering Course （PE） ※
• Science Degree
• Information Technology Course（IT）
• Business Administrataion Degree
• Industrial Management Course （IM）
• Business Administration Japanese Cource （BJ） ※

  ※ starting from 2008

  Master Course （2 years）

• Industrial Management MBA Course （MIM）
• Executive Enterprise Management MBA Course （EEM）

Campus Tour

  Right after the briefing, we were introduced to a campus tour as being led by 3 female students who have acquired the 1st degree of Japanese proficiency diploma. As it was during the term-end examination period, we were not able to observe class works.

  Last but not least, the forthcoming challenge of TNI will be job placement for graduates. Facilities, curriculum and students are ready but one of the final goals would be to send students, educated in advanced technologies and Japanese language, out to Japanese companies. Precise assessments of the need of potential companies and proper coordination between the company and students will be required on the side of TNI management. If successful for the first year graduates, it will be a good driving force for the succeeding years.

  In Thailand, where conservative mentality is said to be dominant, it will not be easy for a newly established university, to compete with traditional and well-known universities. It is uncertain yet how existing companies or Thai society will evaluate TNI from now on. All of them are dependent on efforts of TNI management and stuffs. I sincerely expect successful job placement which matches with those highly qualified students.

  As I had heard about problems associated with hiring of senior volunteer lecturers through JICA, I raised that question. Their answer was that they had not noticed any problem as such. It sounded somewhat diplomatic response in consideration of nature of the problem, being not directly related to JTBF.