Institutionalization of research-based community engagement in Thai Universities: lesson learnt from Thailand

Abstract

In Thailand, the first education reform has just finished. Yet, higher education has been criticized as a non-engaged education. Academic staff has been satirized as the "ivory tower" people who need to serve society more as they earn a salary from taxes. Similarly, university is also ridiculed as the social defect. In order to facilitate higher education to engage with and serve society more effectively, this research argues that community-based research can be alternative research methodology. This paper discusses how to facilitate research-based community engagement through community-based research in Thai universities. The development of collaboration and network of community-based researchers and research managers is also illustrated. Additionally, the factors and conditions contribute to the institutionalization at the university; university network and national level are also highlighted.