University and Community Linkages for Sustainable Development

Building on Cultural Diversity and Community Engagement

Pornchai Mongkhonvanit

Prin Boondiskulchok

Noppawan Siriphol

Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand

March 2014

The Four Pillars of Learning

• Self analytical and social skills

• Understanding the relationships between human and society

• Practical skills • Cognitive learning

Learning to know

Learning to do

Learning to be

Learning to live

together

Source: UNESCO

Learn to

know

Learn to

do

Learn to

be

Learn to

live

together

Sustainable Development

Universities of yesterday

Universities of today

Universities of tomorrow

Linkages between

universities

and communities

Siam University

Case Studies

• Major Flood

in Bangkok

2011

• Rural

Development

in Phu Chi

Fah, Chiang

Rai

• Communal

Healthy Space

The Evolving Role of Educational Institutions

University and Community Linkages – Case Studies on Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand

Major Flood in Bangkok 2011

Rural Development in Phu Chi Fah,

Chiang Rai

Communal Healthy Space

Siam University

Communities

University and Community Linkages – Case Studies on Major Flood in Bangkok 2011

Context Key Engagement Actions

Key Outcomes

Siam University offers its campus to serve people in surrounding community during the major flood in Bangkok in 2011.

• Assigned a group of 20-30 staff to facilitate flood victims

• Allowed people to use toilets, ATM, etc. on campus

• Provided water pumping for the community

• Created a community market to supply daily groceries for flood victims

• Both the University and community were well recovered from the flood

• The university was awarded by APHEIT (Associate of Private Higher Education in Thailand) for its initiative

University and Community Linkages – Case Studies on Rural Development in Phu Chi Fah, Chiang Rai

Context Key Engagement Actions

Key Outcomes

Tribal groups in Phu Chi Fah, Chiang Rai used to plant crops to produce drugs. So Siam University came in to develop the area to be a safer and sustainable living place for community.

• Introduced local tribes to do agriculture instead of planting crops and producing drugs

• Led youths to build wire, dike and small dam for the community

• Brought students from Nursing and Pharmacy Faculty came to provide health services to local people

• Raised fund for the community

• Built Pagoda as a landmark for peace and understanding to unite the people

• Created and distributed a documentary about Mhong culture in Phu Chi Fah

• Developed a sustainable living for the next generation

University and Community Linkages – Case Studies on Communal Healthy Space

Context Key Engagement Actions

Key Outcomes

Siam University strengthens bonds with surrounding community through the development of Communal Healthy Space that promotes healthy learning and healthy lifestyle among people.

Built four sustainable networks within the community: 1. Healthy Food Network: • Nutrition food safety

and food security group

• Breastfeed and maternity care group

2. Clean and Green Environment Network: • Green Market and

Green Community group

3. Healthy Sport and Exercises Network 4. Sufficiency Economy Network

• Received funding of 17 million Baht from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation to drive the project during 2012 and 2013

• Leveraged quality of living for people in the community

Through engagement with the community, the University extends its educative territory beyond the campus as well as reinvents its approach to education with a heightened sense of purpose.

The three major case studies demonstrate not only how universities can be a catalyst for social movement and social change towards sustainable development, but also how community engagement enables universities to achieve its main missions with a heightened sense of purpose.

End of Presentation