Siam University aims to be a model for sustainable development through its practices and education. It conducted research involving students, staff, and surrounding communities to identify competencies needed for sustainability. Based on this, it redesigned its general education curriculum to include courses on sufficiency economy philosophy and sustainable development. Some new courses focus on green technology, community service learning, and using the campus and its neighborhoods as a "living lab" for sustainable practices. The university's efforts contribute to sustainable development of both the university and its neighboring districts.

1. Redesigning Education for
Sustainable University and District
The ISCN 2019 conference
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, June 11-14, 2019
Dr. Pornchai Mongkhonvanit
Professor Emeritus Dr. Chanita Rukspollmuang
Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand

2. Siam University
 Founded in 1965.
 1973 the Siam Technical College was formally established as a private, higher education
institution with the authorization to grant degrees.
 Siam University (SU) - the fifth largest private university with a student body containing over
16,000 students.
 12 faculties, 1 international college (3 programs), Graduate school.
 Located in suburban Bangkok - Phasi Charoen district (54 communities in 7 sub-districts with
approx. 130,000 residents)
 Siam University is the only university in Phasi Charoen district.

3. Employability
The Three Pillars of Siam University
Diversity Sustainability
Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3
Sustainable University, Sustainable District
Cooperative
Learning
Inclusive and International Education

4. Sustainable University, Sustainable District
Siam University aims:
• To be a model for green and sustainable university
which gives a special attention and concern for both
within our campus and the wellbeing of the surrounding
communities and Thai society.
• To promote initiatives and continuous improvement in
the management system and activities within the
university for sustainable development.
• To encourage our students and staff to become change
agents for the betterment of communities and society.

5. • Sustainable University, Sustainable DistrictPolicy
• Sustainable Development + UN 17SDGs
• King Rama IX’s Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP)
Strategy
SD + SEP
• Students
• Staff
• Surrounding Communities
Targets
(The 3 Ss)
• Nurturing “Mindset”: “General Education” and
program courses + training + “Living Lab” approach
Awareness
Building
•USR projects, Academic, Research (Research Center for
Community Development – the “Healthy Space Project”)
•Networking/ Partnership
Community
Engagement
• Knowledge Sharing (e.x. Virtual Museum Project)
• Learning resource center
Lifelong Learning
Platform

6. Economy/society/environment/culture
in a balanced, stable and sustainable way
Immunity to capitalism/materialism and
social/environmental/cultural changes
Lead to
Virtues
Condition
TheMiddlePath
Knowledge
Condition
Sufficiency Thinking (Mindset)
Goal
Outcome
Input
Means
Prerequisite
Sufficiency
Culture
(Ways of
Living)
Moderate
Reasonableness Prudence
Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP)

7. Revision of GE Program to Nurture “SEP/SD Mindset”
• Siam University (SU) decided to revise our general education program
with one of the aims to ensure that sustainability competencies are
integrated in the undergraduate curriculum.
• Interdisciplinary research team was assigned to do a Needs Assessment
Survey, stakeholder interviews and focus group discussion.
• Needs Assessment Study:
– Samples: 440 students + 160 instructors (5% margin of error and 95%
confidence level).
– PNI (Priority Needs Index): assess differential value between desirable
competencies of students and their current competencies as
determined by students and instructors.

8. Five Domains of Key Competencies for Sustainability
Normative and Anticipatory Competency (3)
Critical and Innovative Thinking (3)
Inter-personal Competency (6)
Intra-personal Competency (11)
Other Domain: Literacy (7)

9. 0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4
0.45
0
0.170.140.15
0
0.21
0.170.2
0
0.33
0.220.21
0.140.12
0.19
0
0.18
0.14 0.18 0.22 0.21
0.15
0.12 0.15 0.2
0.14 0.12
0
0.21
0.16 0.17
0.25
0.16 0.17 0.16
0
0.36
0.280.34
0
0.4
0.31
0.4
0
0.45
0.320.320.37
0.33 0.3
0
0.43
0.37
0.33
0.44
0.31
0.17
0.32 0.37 0.41
0.3
0.37
0
0.38
0.24
0.33
0.39
0.33 0.35
0.23
Comparing Students’ and Instructors' PNIs
Students Instructors
Identifying Key Competencies for Sustainability

10. Document
Research
Survey
Research
Focus Group
Discussion
New General
Education
Curriculum
Desirable Students’ Characteristics
Curriculum Design Principle:
Freedom and Wisdom
A research-based curriculum design

11. Confidence
Social
Mindfulness
Lifelong
Learner
Freedom and Wisdom
The New Siam University Values and Students
“Desirable Characteristics” : General Education Program

12. Social Sciences and
Humanities
Language and
Communication
Science and Technology Aesthetics, Physical and
Health Sciences
Sufficiency Economy
Philosophy for Sustainable
Development
Thai Language for
Communication
Digital Literacy Life, Well-Being and Sports
Civic Literacy in Thai and
Global Context
Daily Life English Data Science and
Visualization
Art and Music Appreciation
Designing Your Self and
Personality for Leadership
English for Academic Study Green Technology for
Sustainable Development
Thai Appreciation and
Unseen in Siam
Smart Money Management English for Professional
Presentation
Logic and Design Thinking
for Innovation and Start Up
Designing Your Dream
Community Explorer and
Service Learning
English for Proficiency Test IoT for Everyone Yoga, Meditation, and Art of
Living
Politics and Law in Everyday
Life
Computer Coding for
Everyone
Living Lab for Campus
Sustainability
Creative Photography
New GE courses: 33 credits (required 18, elective 15)

13. SD and SEP in GE courses
SD courses
• Sufficiency Economy Philosophy for
Sustainable Development
• Green Technology for Sustainable
Development
• Living Lab for Campus Sustainability
SD-related courses
• Civic Literacy in Thai and Global Context
• Logic and Design Thinking for Innovation
and Start Up
• Designing Your Dream
• Creative Photography
Learning Approach:
• “Student Engagement”, “Living Lab” partners among 3Ss
• project-based, experiential-based, team teaching

14. Sustainable University, Sustainable District
Academic Policy
•Academic
council endorses
policy to
promote
courses,
research,
student
activities related
to SD, SEP, SDGs
Research-based
Design
•Interdisciplinary
research team
•Participation
from the 3Ss.
•Integrate SD,
SEP, SDGs.
•Revised courses
offered, modes
of instruction.
Proposed New
GE Model
•SD and SD-
related courses.
•Less required
courses, more
elective courses.
•Active learning
modes
•Living Lab:
connect SU and
community.
Implementation
of New GE Model
•New GE
committee from
staff and
students
•Pre-semester
courses
•Retrain “Course
Manager” and
Instructors

16. Learning and Appreciating SEP

17. Lertsuksom Community

18. Learning center for under
flyover management

19. Learning Center for SEP Application
Learning Center for Pandan and Organic Agriculture

20. Improvement of herbal garden by
volunteer students at Wat
Kampang Bangjak

21. “Healthy Space and Learning Garden, Siam University”
This space had been developed collaboratively by the Research Center for Community Development, Siam University
and people in the community turning the waste ground behind SU campus into open public ground for benefits of
community’s activities such as exercises, meeting, seeking knowledge from books on shelves along the wall of the
residence nearby. This is not only “The Living Lab” for S.U. students but also “The Model of Community’s Health
and Learning Space” for other Bangkok Metropolitant’s communities.”

22. “Clean Water Project:
Klong Bangjak”

23. Students Staff
Surrounding
Communities
Confidence
Social
Mindfulness
Lifelong
Leaners
Environmental
Sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainable
Economic
Social and
Cultural
Sustainability
Confidence
Social
Mindfulness
Lifelong
Leaners

24. (2017) Total Number of Ranked
Universities =619
#168 in the World
#46 in Asia (total 235)
#7 in Thailand (total = 28)
(2018) Total Number of Ranked
Universities =719
#162 in the World
#52 in Asia (total 306)
#7 in Thailand (total = 32)

25. Thank you for your attention !!!