This document discusses internationalizing higher education in Thailand by addressing myths, mistakes, and opportunities. It provides an overview of globalization versus internationalization in higher education and discusses various frameworks for categorizing universities and their approaches to internationalization. Key factors for successful internationalization initiatives are identified, such as adopting a holistic approach, providing academic support for students and instructors, and ensuring diversity in student and instructor backgrounds. Research-informed and collaborative approaches to decision making are emphasized.

1. Internationalizing Higher Education in
Thailand: Myths, Mistakes, and
Opportunities
Dr. Suwichit (Sean) Chaidaroon
suwichit@gmail.com, Facebook, LinkedIN

3. Do you know ...
Which country in Asia ranks the highest
for English proficiency?
Where does Thailand stand in the
ranking?

4. EF English Proficiency Index
2015
The fifth edition of the EF English Proficiency
Index (EF EPI) ranks 70 countries and territories
based on test data from more than 910,000
adults who took our online English tests in 2014.

5. http://www.ef.co.th/epi/
Bangkok Post Newspaper
5 November 2015

6. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/wo
rld-university-rankings/2017/world-rankin
g#!/page/0/length/25/country/2742/sort_b
y/rank_label/sort_order/asc/cols/scores

7. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/wo
rld-university-rankings/2017/world-rankin
g#!/page/0/length/25/country/2742/sort_b
y/rank_label/sort_order/asc/cols/scores

8. https://www.timeshigheredu
cation.com/world-university-
rankings/2016/regional-rank
ing#!/page/0/length/25/sort_
by/rank_label/sort_order/as
c/cols/stats

10. What does it mean by International Outlook?
International outlook (staff, students, research): 7.5%
● International-to-domestic-student ratio: 2.5%
● International-to-domestic-staff ratio: 2.5%
● International collaboration: 2.5%
The ability of a university to attract undergraduates, postgraduates and faculty from all over the planet is key to
its success on the world stage.
In the third international indicator, we calculate the proportion of a university’s total research journal publications
that have at least one international co-author and reward higher volumes. This indicator is normalised to account
for a university’s subject mix and uses the same five-year window as the “Citations: research influence” category.
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/methodology-world-university-rankin
gs-2016-2017

11. Globalization VS Internationalization
“Globalization is the context of economic and academic
trends that are part of the reality of the 21st century.” (p.
290)
“Internationalization includes the policies and practices
undertaken by academic systems and institutions- and
even individuals- to cope with the global academic
environment.” (p. 290)
Altbach, P. G., & Knight, J. (2007). The internationalization of higher education: Motivations and
realities. Journal of Studies in International Education, 11, 290-305.

12. Motivations & Initiatives (Altbach & Knight, 2007)
Motivations
▪ Commercial advantage
▪ Knowledge & language acquisition
▪ Enhancing curriculum with
international content
Initiatives
▪ Branch campuses
▪ Cross-border collaborative
arrangements
▪ Programs for international students
▪ Establishing English-medium
programs and degrees

13. Five Categories of Global University (Foskett, 2010)
1. Domestic universities- focus largely on local, regional, and national context
2. Imperialist universities- “have strong international recruitment activities to draw students from
overseas, but have done relatively little to change their organizations, facilities or services at
home (p. 44)”
3. Internationally aware universities- “change their organizations and culture to have a profile that is
international … but have not yet engaged with overseas (p. 45)”
4. Internationally engaged universities- drive an international agenda at home e.g. curriculum
review to make the teaching programs global in perspective and to provide international
experience as well as encourage staff to seek research and educational partnership overseas.
5. Internationally focused universities- the level of progress and achievement in internationalization
is strong in many dimensions, and where the cultural change within the university has been
transformational.
Foskett, N. (2010).Global markets, national challenges, local strategies: The strategic challenge of internationalization. In F. Maringe & N. Foskett (Eds.),
Globalization and internationalization in higher education: Theoretical, strategic and management perspectives (pp. 35- 50) London, UK: Continuum.

14. Myths (or Mistakes?)
▪ The more English input, the better. So start from
translating your slides and teaching materials into
English.
▪ Native speakers will be able to teach in international
programs better than Thai teachers.
▪ Thai lecturers who earned their degrees from English
speaking countries can teach in English.
▪ The language proficiency of students in content-based
courses taught in English is always a problem. Content
should be simplified and translation is often needed.

15. Communicative
Language Teaching

16. Student-centered
instruction &
Task-based language
teaching

17. Content-based
language
learning

18. More Challenging Issues
Students (and often parents) are resistant to
internationalization.
There are always unintended consequences of
internationalization.

19. In general, students develop
critical thinking and the impacts
of their learning last longer if they
perform deep learning. But what
conditions lead to deep learning?

20. Deep Learning (Marton & Saljo,
Gothenburg University in Sweden, 1976)
1. Discern meaning behind the texts
2. Search for implications, applications, and
possibilities
3. Look for arguments & try to distinguish
between evidence and conclusion

21. While deep learning is an ideal goal in
general education for students to
develop critical thinking skills, what do
you think is the ideal goal for
international/intercultural education?
How can we make it happen?

22. In order to make your internationalized
courses successful, what facilities do
you need? What academic support do
you want to see happening?

23. Critical Success Factors for Education
Institutions Seeking to Market Themselves
Internationally
A survey of 315 education institutions from Australia, Canada, New
Zealand, the UK, and the USA.
Mazzarol, T. (1998). Critical success factors of international education
marketing. International Journal of Education Management, 12(4),
163-175.

24. Four Underlying
Dimensions
1. Promotion and recruitment
2. Image and resources
3. People and culture
4. Coalition and forward integration

25. Which factors determined success
(growth in enrolments, demand,
short to medium outlook, & financial
benefits)?

26. Possible
determinants of
institutional
success to
market
internationally
1. Image and resources
a. Market profile or recognition
b. Strength of financial resources
c. Reputation for quality
d. Size and influence of alumni
e. Range of courses and
programs
2. Coalition and forward integration
a. International strategic
alliances
b. Off-shore teaching programs

27. More Food for Thoughts
Holistic approach to internationalization
▪ Academic support unit for students
▪ Academic support unit for instructors
▪ Composition of students (and instructors)
▪ Systems approach to internationalization

28. Now what’s in it for ELT (and other
disciplines) to be part of
internationalization of higher education?
Let me offer TWO key takeaways!

29. First, to develop internationalization initiatives
successfully, universities need to consult various
stakeholders & constituencies. Internationalization
cannot be merely done by certain groups of
experts.

30. Second, decisions to develop internationalization
initiatives should be informed by research. For
example, administrators should consult research
on intercultural communication, ELT, international
management, intercultural education etc to
achieve the ultimate goal of internationalization.

31. Thank you!