A novel approach to vocational and technological education in Thailand is emerging through a joint venture between Chinese and Thai universities, marking a significant stride in the globalization of Chinese vocational education. The Engineering College, a collaboration between Tianjin Bohai Vocational Technical College and Nakhon Sawan Rajabhat University, was inaugurated in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand. It will provide four-year diploma courses with bilingual instruction, offering Chinese and Thai students distinctive study and vocational practice opportunities in both nations. The initial phase of the program, focusing on new energy vehicles, is set to welcome students from May.
According to Chairat Pranee, president of Nakhon Sawan Rajabhat University, the two parties will work together on curriculum design, the development of international teaching resources, and engineering practice projects, fostering stronger China-Thai friendship. Wei Bingju, secretary of the Party committee at Tianjin Bohai Vocational Technical College, stated the aim is to cultivate a cadre of high-caliber international technical elites, create high-level bilingual courses, and significantly enhance education resources.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by the Ministry of Education and the Tianjin government to explore reforms in modern vocational and technological education. It follows the establishment of Luban Workshops in Thailand in 2016, which, named after Lu Ban, an ancient Chinese woodcraft master, have become a central element of Chinese initiatives to promote international cooperation in vocational education.
The Engineering College differs from Luban Workshops by offering full four-year diploma courses with joint enrollment and training, enabling a deeper exchange of teaching staff, course integration, and communication channels. In contrast, Luban Workshops primarily provided periodic training, with only a few offering diplomas, and Chinese teachers usually left after a few years of training, leaving foreign teachers to continue the courses without Chinese language training.
At the inauguration ceremony, the principal of Ayutthaya Technical College, where the first Luban Workshop was established, expressed appreciation for the new model. Principal Mayuree Sriraboot, along with her predecessor, commended the Tianjin college's persistent efforts in vocational education, noting the positive impact of the evolved approach.
