The Doctor of Philosophy Program in Tourism and Hotel Management at the University of Phayao, led by Dr.Warach Madhyamapurush, Program Chair, together with Assistant Professor Dr. Niramon Promnin and Dr. Ruthaipat Pimonsri, program faculty members, participated in an academic meeting and knowledge exchange with the Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Mahasarakham University. The delegation from Mahasarakham University was led by Dr. Songphon Uthaisarn, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Educational Quality Assurance, together with Assistant Professor Dr. Kantimal Jindaprasert, Program Chair, and program faculty members, including Dr. Ochanya Buatham and Dr. Wantakan Simarorrit.
The meeting focused on discussions regarding “curriculum benchmarking” in order to exchange approaches to graduate program administration, educational quality development, and the enhancement of doctoral-level teaching and learning standards in alignment with higher education quality assurance frameworks.
In addition, both institutions exchanged knowledge and best practices in educational management, particularly approaches aimed at providing students with a “positive learning experience” alongside strong academic quality. Key areas of discussion included academic advisory systems, thesis funding support, support for national and international academic publications, and the development of large-scale research systems that provide students with opportunities to engage in real-world research projects. These initiatives are intended to strengthen students’ research competencies and professional experience for their future careers.
This academic collaboration marks another important step in strengthening networks among higher education institutions to jointly enhance graduate quality, curriculum development, and the advancement of high-quality graduate education systems capable of responding to future changes in society and the tourism and hospitality industry.
Furthermore, the initiative aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education through the enhancement of teaching and learning quality and the promotion of lifelong learning; SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure through the development of academic research and innovation systems; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals through the establishment of collaborative academic networks among higher education institutions to sustainably advance educational quality and research development.