Thailand ‘positive’ on university branch campuses

The Thai government has signalled its focus on attracting overseas universities to the country, but analysts suggest regulations may need to change if it is to be successful.  

Speaking earlier this month, Thailand’s minister for higher education, Supamas Isarabhakdi, said the country has “high potential” as a regional hub, with immigration regulations in other countries, such as the UK, likely to drive more global universities to consider opening offshore campuses. 

Ms Isarabhakdi added that the government was looking to explore partnerships with universities in countries including the UK, Australia and China, the Bangkok Post reported. 

“We have seen positive potential regarding the possibility of them expanding to Thailand. More details will be further discussed. If successful, this could help generate more income for the country,” she said.

Experts agreed the minister’s remarks were a positive sign for the country, where strict regulations have previously been a barrier to the entry of overseas campuses. 

Thailand introduced a transnational education policy (TNE) in 2017, allowing “high potential” overseas universities to set up campuses, but the regulations failed to appeal to international institutions. 

“Despite attractive demographic and economic factors in Thailand, many international higher education institutions have been deterred from establishing branch campuses by strict regulations, including restrictions around where branch campuses can and cannot be established, limits on the subjects offered, and required global rankings of institutions,” said Uraiwan Samolee, head of education at the British Council in Thailand. 

Since then, few international campuses have emerged. Those that have include Carnegie Mellon University, in partnership with King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, and The Asian Institute of Hospitality, which was set up in partnership with Les Roches, a Swiss hospitality school. 

“At the moment, we are not sure if these regulations will be changed, but we see it as very positive that the Royal Thai Government is refocusing on transnational education,” said Ms Samolee.

Sudeep Laad, managing director and partner at L.E.K. Consulting, believed there was high potential for transnational education programmes in Thailand. 

“Outbound students are increasing and so are Thai university partnerships with global universities. Most top Thai private universities have some partnerships with foreign universities to offer joint degrees, dual degrees, or exchange programmes, and enrolments are rising,” he said. 

“Thailand too has the potential to benefit from branch campuses, given the recent regulation changes for international students in the UK, the US, Australia, Canada and the rising Chinese student demand for higher education in Thailand.”

Ms Samolee agreed that Thailand’s transnational market has “significant capacity for growth”, with only 1,055 UK TNE enrolments in 2021-22 compared with 7,115 in neighbouring Vietnam. 

“We don’t see lack of appetite as the problem – if the [potential] new policy leads to positive flexibility within regulations, we anticipate many more opportunities for TNE partnerships will develop – and the British Council is ready to support UK universities in developing and securing these opportunities,” she said. 

“It is worth noting that we are already seeing an increasing number of international students coming to study in Thailand, especially from elsewhere in South-east Asia and from mainland China.”

Research by the British Council suggests that not only were there a limited amount of transnational education programmes on offer in Thailand, there was also a “lack of knowledge” about transnational education among students and parents – both contributing factors to the relatively low participation figures. 

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com