On 2 April 2024, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), through the Office of the Permanent Secretary (OPS), organized a ceremony to honor civil servants and personnel of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation on the occasion of National Civil Servants’ Day, which falls on 1 April every year. The ceremony was held at the Bhumibodin Meeting Room, Department of Science Service, with Ms. Supamas Isarabhakdi, the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, presiding over the ceremony and presenting certificates of honor and commemorative pins to outstanding civil servants for the year 2023, as well as certificates of honor to MHESI’s People of Merit for 2023.
On this occasion, Associate Professor Dr. Kamolrat Intaratat, a Faculty Member in the School of Communication Arts at STOU, and Miss Phayao Thaimvech, an experienced General Administration Officer (Senior Professional Level) at STOU Nakhon Nayok Regional Center, who were both awarded as outstanding civil servants of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University in 2023, joined to receive the awards at this OPS event.
The Thai Library Association, under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, organized an award ceremony to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to the library profession. This was to give recognition and present certificates of honor for the year 2023, during the annual general meeting of 2023. On this occasion, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) received the award as the Organization Contributing to the Library Profession and Library and Information Science Education in 2023. The ceremony took place on 28 March 2024 at the Prince Palace Hotel, Bangkok.
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) has continuously placed great importance on the library profession and library and information science education, as follows:
1) In Distance Education in Information Science, STOU supports the provision of Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral Degree programs under the supervision of the School of Liberal Arts in Information Science.
2) In Library Management, STOU has regularly allocated budgets for the development of the Office of Documentation and Information, from its earlier status as the Documentation and Information Center until it became the present Office of Documentation and Information in 1986. This includes the Library and Learning Resources Center Building Project, which is a prototypical library building with modern engineering, energy conservation, advanced building technologies, and readiness to serve as a lifelong learning center with various areas such as learning spaces, library service areas, teaching and learning areas, and areas showcasing the university’s historical development and identity. Within this building are sections dedicated to university archives and identity information services, such as the Royal Parental Education Information, Distance Education Information, and Nonthaburi Studies, as well as a permanent exhibition titled “Sukhothai Thammathirat Nitat.”
3) In Information Resources Development and Library Personnel Development, STOU has allocated budgets for the acquisition of information resources for services and personnel development in terms of knowledge, skills, and experience.
4) In Partnerships and Networks, STOU has provided course materials to partners according to cooperation agreements, such as with the Department of Corrections and the Office of Non-Formal Education.
5) In Promoting the University’s Identity, STOU has allocated budgets and developed initiatives to become a model organization in the information that reflects its identity, reveres the monarchy, and establishes museums.
6) In Local Academic Services for Nonthaburi, STOU has promoted itself as a learning resource center for local information in Nonthaburi province by accepting donated objects and pottery from private museums, thus preserving the national heritage through the university’s efforts.
On Friday, 8 March 2024 from 11.00-12.00 at STOU Headquarters, the university executives, faculty members, and staff attended a meeting with Mr. Ian Hall, Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), Head of Membership (International) regarding the application for accreditation status under the new 2023 version. They exchanged experiences, built mutual understanding, and inquired about guidelines for developing the teaching system and supporting distance learning based on the Professional Standards Framework (PSF) 2023 of STOU, which will take place in early fiscal year 2025.
On 11 March 2024, a delegation from the Office of Personnel Development and Administration, the Royal Thai Army Force (RTAF) led by Lt. Gen. Suchin Trongdee, Director of the RTAF the Office of Personnel Development and Administration, met with Asst. Prof. Dr. Phanompatt Smitananda, Member of the University Council and Acting President, along with other university executives in Meeting Room 1514 at STOU’s Administration Building. The purpose of the visit was to discuss academic cooperation in promoting online learning and jointly developing courses to disseminate knowledge through the online learning system.
On this occasion, the delegation visited STOU’s Educational Radio and Television Production Building (EBPC Building), guided by Asst. Prof. Dr. Gan Chanyawudhiwan, Director of the Office of Educational Technology, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Smaksmorn Phakdeeteva, Curator of STOU MOOC.
On 21 February 2024, at Meeting Room 1608, Administration Building, Asst. Prof. Dr. Phanompatt Smitananda, Member of the University Council and Acting President, presided over the opening of the meeting to clarify the framework for the implementation of the Integrity and Transparency Assessment (ITA) of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) for the fiscal year 2024.
The Integrity and Transparency Assessment (ITA) of government agencies, according to the guidelines of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), has been implemented by STOU since the fiscal year 2019. For the fiscal year 2024, Asst. Prof. Dr. Phanompatt Smitananda, Member of the University Council and Acting President of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) has issued the No Gift Policy and Dos & Don’ts guidelines.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanasak Saijampa, Vice-President for Strategy, Planning, Digital Technology, and Human Resources, chaired the meeting to clarify the framework for STOU’s ITA implementation for the fiscal year 2024 to liaison officers in all university offices. The university has assigned the Quality Assurance Coordination Center and the Legal Affairs Division as the main responsible offices to carry out the assessment criteria set by the NACC. The assessment covers 10 indicators, such as information disclosure, corruption prevention, exercise of power, use of state assets, etc. There are perception surveys and opinion collection from various stakeholders, including Internal Integrity and Transparency Assessment (IIT), External Integrity and Transparency Assessment (EIT), and Open Data Integrity and Transparency Assessment (OIT).
After a stressful period of examination has passed, STOU Students Club from the South and the North held recreational activities for everybody to relax.
On 2 March 2024, STOU Chumphon Student Club together with the Regional Academic Resources and Community Engagement Center – Nakhon Si Thammarat organized the 18th STOU Southern Region Sports Day at Chumphon Provincial Stadium. Asst. Prof. Dr. Phanompatt Smitananda, Acting President of STOU, presided over the opening ceremony, joined by over 500 administrators, faculty members, staff, students and alumni of STOU. There was a friendly futsal match between STOU faculty vs students and alumni as one of the highlight activities.
The STOU Southern Region Sports Day is an annual event hosted alternately by the Student Clubs within the region. The event helped de-stress after exams and promoted health, wellness, and good relations among STOU staff and students. During the event, tourism in Chumphon province was also encouraged. Participants had the opportunity to visit Kromluang Chumphon Khet Udomsak Shrine and Nongyai Area Development Project under the Royal Initiative.
The STOU Chumphon Student Club also held a homecoming night at Morakot Twin Hotel, where Mr. Nopporn Usit, Chief Executive of the Chumphon Provincial Administrative Organization presided over the opening ceremony. The event featured a singing contest, a star contest, and a sports prize distribution ceremony.
While in the North, the STOU Lamphun Student Club and Alumni Club held a school development volunteer camp at Ban Pa Lap – Mae Sa Ngae School on 24-25 February 2024. Asst. Prof. Dr.Sirilak Namwong and Asst. Prof. Dr. Thamrongjet Puttamuk from the School of Agriculture and Cooperatives joined the students and alumni at the camp.
Congratulations to Asst. Prof. Dr. Kanchana Srisawas, Faculty Member from the School of Nursing, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, who has been qualified as an AUN-QA Assessor at Programme Level Version 4.0, announced on 20 February 2024.
On 22 February 2024, Asst. Prof. Dr. Phanompatt Smitananda, Acting President of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU), together with Asst. Prof. Dr. Gan Chanyawudhiwan, Acting Vice-President for Academic Services, Cultural Preservation, and International Affairs, welcomed Prof. Iwanaga Masaya, President of the Open University of Japan (OUJ), and other delegates from OUJ, accompanied by Mr. Uchida Takeshi, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Thailand.
The delegates discussed possible academic collaborations and shared ideas on distance education with STOU administrators and staff. The delegates then visited the King Prajadhipok and Queen Rambhai Barni Documentation Center and the Educational Broadcasting Production Center (EBPC).
On 22 February 2024, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) held an event to celebrate Makha Bucha Day at the Rajamangalapisek Education Park of STOU headquarters in Nonthaburi.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Phanompatt Smitananda, Acting President of STOU, presided over the ceremony hosted by the Office of Continuing Education. The ceremony included alms-giving, Buddhist sermon listening and a candlelight procession at Ho Phra Phut Ming Mongkhon Dhammasathan.
Makha Bucha Day is considered a significant Buddhist occasion in Thailand. Makha Bucha refers to the full moon of the third lunar month. This year Makha Bucha falls on 24 February 2024, which is a public holiday nationwide. So, the university held the event beforehand to allow administrators, faculty members, and staff to have the opportunity to perform the ceremony together.
On 20 February 2024, Asst. Prof. Dr. Gan Chanyawudhiwan, Acting Vice-President for Academic Services, Cultural Preservation, and International Affairs, and Miss Chidchanok Bangsen, International Affairs Officer, represented Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University in making donations carried out in the sustainability awareness-raising campaigns.
Reusable cloth and paper bags were donated to Pakkret 2 Hospital in Nonthaburi which was accepted by Mr. Noppadol Sahasoontornwong, Pharmacist. The patients at the hospital can use the donated bags to carry their prescribed medicine instead of using plastic bags.
Old desk calendars were delivered to the Educational Technology Center for the Blind, Foundation for the Blind in Thailand under the Royal Patronage of H.M. the Queen. The donation was accepted by Ms. Chanidapa Petchrak, the Director of the Center. The old desk calendars will be used to produce Braille-printed instructional materials for the visually impaired.
All donations are part of the sustainability awareness-raising campaigns. Those interested can contact STOU’s Department of International Affairs at 0 2504 7173 for more information.
