Internationalization: The Importance of Thai Higher Education Institutions on the International Stage

Abstract

The article aimed to explain the elements and importance of internationalization and also the
importance of Thai Higher Education Institutions on the international stage.
Internationalization of education defines as the internationalization of education of higher education
institutions around the world. It is related to globalization and rapid technological changes. These make all the
leaders and governments around the world review and change their educational policies in accordance with
the current world situation and respond to the world’s labor needs in the 21stcentury.
The elements of internationality consist of 5 elements including: 1) the dimension of the world as the
change of the world situation, learning stories of different countries, and foreign languages; 2) The dimension
of the learning organization as learning exchange academic and research, and the study of the wider worldview between higher education institutions; 3) cultural dimensions as multicultural education and international
culture; 4) dimensions of international relations as establishing a network between educational institutions at
the international level; and 5) the dimensions of government policies and senior leaders of the country. It is
common that Higher education institutions of each country have a duty to set policies to respond to the main
policies of each country’s government in order to develop education in accordance with the current situation
and knowledge in the 21st century.
There are a few suggestions for Thai higher education institutions that need to develop as an
internationalization should have structure of the organization and modern technology, sufficient support
budget, have a good management system and the leaders who have the creative vision with a strategic plan
as a navigation map for strategic for education marketing. Institutions need professors and potential students.
Institutions need to create diverse courses with a curriculum that uses English as the primary language for
teaching and learning and also need to have a flexible teaching system and a good network and support the
scholarship ready for opening distance education.