Advance Higher Education (Advance HE) is announcing a testimony to the success of Walailak University, upon completing the Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (CLTHE), in advancing teaching and learning, and enhancing quality teaching practices and professionalism reflected by the university’s dynamic of teaching culture, improved dropout rates from 30 percent to less than 2 percent in 2020 and outstanding numbers of Advance HE Fellow.
Cooperation between Advance HE and Walailak University has been in place since 2018 to improve teaching quality which evolves in synch with challenges faced in the pandemic era. The program complies with the Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning in HE (PSF) and upon the program’s completion, participants are encouraged to apply for Fellowship.
Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, President of Walailak University, has championed the initiative, while their former Chairman, Professor Dr. Wichit Srisa-an (also Chairman of the Suranaree University of Technology and Sukothai Thammathirat Open University), became the first Principal Fellow in Thailand in 2020. Currently, almost a hundred percent of Walailak University staff have received Advance HE Fellow status in all categories: 56 Senior Fellows and one Principal Fellow. The university recently held a celebration to mark this milestone.
Associate Professor Dr. Surin Maisrikrod, Vice President for Global Engagement and Faculty Development said, “There is now a culture of teaching at Walailak University. Before this work, staff did not talk about teaching, whereas now you can hear them discussing their teaching in everyday conversations. Student learning is at the heart of all our work.”
Kathy Wright (Assistant Director of Knowledge, Innovation, and Delivery), reflected that the participants have acquired teaching ideas and practice. During the program, Participants from Walailak University took part in an action research group project and produced quality work. Likewise, Kathryn Harrison-Graves, Director of Membership and Accreditation at Advance HE referred to this cooperation with Walailak University as being effective at generating impact on the students’ learning experience
Image credit: Center for International Affairs (CIA), Walailak University
Walailak University is committed to internationalizing and advancing its professionals’ teaching practice to measure up to the globally recognized standards. Currently, Center for International Affairs (CIA), Walailak University under the leadership of Asst. Prof. Dr. Patnarin Supakorn, is launching a virtual monthly newsletter WU International Connect as a platform to publicize news and updates on teaching, research, and international outlook according to THE World University Rankings and QS World University Rankings. The newsletter will be shared with over 195 partner universities in 8 countries namely the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and China.
For further reading on WU International Connect https://cia.wu.ac.th/newsletter-jan-2022/
News by Nootchanat Sukkaew
Division of Corporate Communication, Walailak University
