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| 8.8 Autonomy of Public Universities |
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In order to meet the challenges facing the nation in recovering its growth rate, the universities must become efficient, cost-effective, high-quality institutions which have the flexibility to adjust to changing technology and labour market needs. To achieve this transition, the universities must pursue autonomy in management, become more self-sufficient financiallly, raise the quality of teaching staff and align enrolments more closely to the needs of high technology economy. Consequently, an innovative way of university administration has been introduced. The MUA has undertaken management reforms emphasizing institutional autonomy and self-governance with appropriate accountability measures. Such universities have their own administrative structure and budgeting system for self-governance and full autonomy. The MUA will then be able to take up its role as supervisory and supporting body for educational development. Currently, two new universities, Suranaree University of Technology and Walailak University, are operating by this system. For these new universities, the University Council is assigned to serve as the supreme governing and decision-making body and is provided with full authority over university operations. They have also been subsidized by the government through block grants accompanied by a post-auditing system. Recruitment is more systematic and performance evaluation is more effective. In addition, they have greater flexibility to introduce new programmes which enhances their capacity to respond to new labour market demands. At present, efforts are being made to encourage existing public universities to move out of the bureaucratic system. Two key measures have been proposed by the committee approved by the Council of Ministers. The first is the preparation for public universities/colleges to be autonomous within the period of 5-10 years, the block grant and post-auditing system. The second is readiness preparation in terms of internal management system, amendmends of financial rules and regulations, and personnel development for the new autonomous system. One existing university, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, has been provided with full autonomy since January 1998. |
