Global Citizenship

Challenges for Asean community 2016

• Mainly for economic integration
• Also covers political-security and socio-cultural components
• It can enhance higher education co-operation among the ASEAN nations

Agenda

• Universities have to prepare students to be good global citizens in order that they may participate actively at national, regional and global levels
• Thailand has to adapt itself to the changes of AEC 2016 in many areas especially education

Agenda

• Free movement of academics and students in the region
• challenges of identity

the Changes

• "Thailand had gone through the stages of modernisation, the local culture still determined and shaped the development of higher education. Since that time many reforms have occurred in Thai universities." Filbeck, 2002

the Changes

• "universities in Thailand were moving towards more inclusive education, with students becoming more active in their own learning and skills such as critical thinking becoming accepted as essential attributes to be developed through degree programs." Thanosawan, 2012

global citizenship

• It conveys that citizens in global context will have awareness, concerns, rights, and responsibilities that transcend into the global community
• "Global citizenship is highly contested and has not been advocated in education" Bowden, 2003

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

• It has been articulated as a necessary attribute for graduates of many universities around the world
• higher education reform (in Thailand) aimed “to enhance the knowledge of the Thai people, who will be endowed with the basic qualifications of global citizenship [emphasis added]” the Office of the Education Council (2004)

Problems

• Thai higher education institutions have insufficient understanding of theoretical and practical issues on global citizenship.
• Thai universities were left to their own devices as to how to promote global citizenship attribute in the graduates

Questions

• what is global citizenship in Thai higher education vs international education?

Research

• a case study of global citizenship in a Thai University vs. International College
• multiple-leveled data collection (Geertz, 1973) from students, lecturers, course supervisors, executives e.g. the deans and vice-presidents

research

• in-depth interviews, focus group discussion, document analysis, classroom observation and site observation
• mainly students in first and second years, and exchange students

Analysis Framework

Results

• Thai values are placed in the foundation of teaching in Thai University
• There is a strong sense of Thai core values (Nation, Religion, Monarchy)
• Good Thai students do not ask many questions in classroom, thus they do not pose a threat to the teachers
• Being a good Thai citizen before you become global citizen

Results

• Students (in Thai classes) expect teachers to take much responsibility in teaching
• Focus on Buddhism epistemology or worldview rather than on global/western political discourse

Results

• global integration is apparent in International College
• students tend to take their learning as their own responsibility
• students are aware of different viewpoints and stances
• the Western modules of global citizenship include human rights, global affairs and being environmentally/socially responsible

Questions