History and Challenges of IR Activities in Thailand

The first Institutional Research (IR) unit in Thailand was established at Chulalongkorn University (CU) in 1971 with 3 main duties: to collect data necessary for the planning, development and management of the university, to conduct research according to the requirements of the university and other research based on its regular responsibilities, and to disseminate information in different forms. An information system called "Chulalongkorn University Management Information System (CU-MIS)" was developed following the data system of the USA\´s National Center for Higher Education Management System (NCHEMS). CU-MIS consists of 5 types of data: study programs, faculty and staff, students, finance, and buildings and facilities and aims to support the following activities of the university: operation analysis, university planning analysis, resource planning, cost analysis, budget review, and inter-university information exchange. Three years later in 1974, other Thai universities have followed CU to form their IR units and the number of the units has increased to reach the stage that the Ministry of Higher Education has taken part in by leading a national network for IR. In July 2000, the Association of Institutional Research and Higher Education Development was established to provide a platform for collaboration among IR units in Thai universities. This talk will give a brief on the history of IR activities in Thailand and share the challenges that the Thai universities have faced in the implementation of IR.T.