Community-Based Research: University Role in Sustainable Community Development

Abstract

Thailand’s development policy under “THAILAND 4.0” could not be successful if failure of community development using the old method is still ignored.  As society is rapidly changing, more complex problems arise. As a result, the old developmental approach can no longer be a solution to community problems at the grass-root level.  This article aims to present the role of a university as a learning center and as society’s intellectual refuge providing additional support, including research knowledge and expertise in Community-Based Research (CBR). CBR is a new paradigm that seamlessly links research and development. Knowledge gained from the research, work done by the community and knowledge from local wisdom are used for solving the community’s own problems; as a result, the people, who have to deal with the problems  and are responsible for solving the problems of the community, can learn. These are the key persons who drive the sustainable community development.