An outline of the history, operation and success of the Thaksin University International PhD program in Sustainable Development. A unique program based on accessing international leaders from major global universities as supervisors and examiners.

1. Academic
Strengthening through
a Multi – disciplinary
Ph.D.
in Sustainable
Development

2. This paper describes:
- a process that combines both the
introduction of sustainable development and
its use for a change process in an evolving
environment.
- the process of establishment of the
university-wide PhD in Sustainable
Development in a manner that may be of
value to other institutions with autonomous
governance.

3. Introduction
• Universities have a prime responsibility to
orient their knowledge and its imparting to
sustainability.
• The objective nature of university research and
teaching requires that approaches to
sustainability be realistic, cutting through
idealism.
• The Sustainable Development Goals of the
United Nations (SDGs) harmonize

4. Sustainability in University Education
• Universities accept this responsibility to
varying extents, some focus on physical
sustainability of campuses, others on the
business sustainability.
• A more important approach is the
integration of sustainability into the
research and teaching.

5. Thaksin University PhD Program
• Thaksin University is a Royal Thai
Government public university, and one of
the few granted a measure of autonomy.
• A programmatic approach to sustainability
and sustainable development across the
university.
• This is done through a new PhD program –
why? Because 1) it is research-based, and 2)
it is truly international involving academics
from leading foreign universities.

6. • The vision of the program is to create a
learning organization that conducts
research training relevant to the ASEAN
region at an international level.
• In so doing it lifts other academic programs
of the university.
• To make it applicable to all departments in
the university required a unifying theme –
hence the program’s focus on sustainable
development.

7. The program:
• spans all disciplines;
• engages international universities’ staff
to assist in supervision and examination
of research theses;
• operates in the English language
• focuses research on sustainability within
all disciplines
• assists the wider university through
candidate seminars and publications.

8. The Program:
• follows international practice in Australia, Britain and
Canada.
• differs from many programs of universities in Thailand
that are often based on coursework.
• exhibits its author's understanding of the context of
the work, contribution to world knowledge.
• Thaksin University's motto that "morality and wisdom
precede development” translates directly into
sustainable development.
• applies to fine arts as much as to technology, and as a
consequence contributes to the integrity of the region.

9. To enter the program candidates must:
• have appropriate degrees or demonstrate
high-level professional equivalence;
• demonstrate English language proficiency;
• be motivated to conduct research;
• engage in research training if not already
experienced;
• commit to regular engagement with
Supervisors

10. Disciplines:
As international research degrees are based
on the creation of knowledge, and the means
of communicating knowledge varies between
disciplines, the program accommodates
different modes of presentation. In scientific
and technical fields, the commonly accepted
form of a prolonged period of investigation
collated into a prescribed format of thesis is
used.

11. Outcomes to Date
From the sustainable development program,
a number of initiatives have emerged :
• theses;
• books;
• seminars;
• demonstrations within the university;
• international conference of the Asian Forum
of Business Education.

12. • The program is a modest example of a
viable means of integrating sustainable
development into a university.
• It builds on an intention to strengthen the
academy by use of a multi-disciplinary
international PhD in sustainable
development.
Conclusion