Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University’s School of Nursing celebrates its first capping, pinning and candle lighting ceremony on 19 March 2023 at the conference hall of Phitayapat Building at STOU Nonthaburi. Asst. Prof. Dr. Premruetai Noimuenwai, Dean of the School of Nursing presided over as the chair of the ceremony. There were 73 out of 306 students joined the ceremony.
The capping and pinning ceremony marks an important milestone for nursing students who finished their basic courses and are ready for clinical practice. The ceremony promotes the value of professional pride, and a positive attitude toward the nursing profession and their home institution, where the nursing students’ working morality, ethics, and culture were cultivated.
The candle lighting ceremony was done to commemorate the dedication of Florence Nightingale and to symbolize the student nurses’ acceptance of the challenges of the nursing profession.
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University has offered nursing programs since 1984. There are currently 3 programs including Bachelor of Nursing Science, Master of Nursing Science in Nursing Administration, and Master of Nursing Science in Community Nurse Practitioner.
13 March 2023 – Asst. Prof. Dr. Gan Chanyawudhiwan Acting Vice-President for Academic Services, Cultural Preservation, and International Affairs welcomed Prof. Ho Chin Kuan, Vice-Chancellor, and Prof. Ts. Dr. Murali Raman, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Development and Strategy from Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU), Malaysia.
STOU by representatives from the School of Economics, School of Science and Technology, Office of Computer Services, and Institute for Research and Development took this opportunity to discuss possible academic collaboration with APU’s administrators.
2 March 2023 – Asst. Prof. Dr. Gan Chanyawudhiwan Acting Vice-President for Academic Services, Cultural Preservation, and International Affairs represented the university to deliver the donated used towels and other animal care necessities to the Home for Handicapped Animals Foundation in Pakkret, Nonthaburi. The donation was accepted by Ms. Pimkul Olansiraroj, the Foundation President. STOU carried out the towel donation activity to raise awareness towards Green University among the staff and the students.
The Pakkret Home for Handicapped Animals currently shelters over 150 sick and injured animals. It is open for a visit every day from 11 am to 5 pm.
The STOU Nakhon Pathom Student Club led the student club network of 5 provinces to improve the school’s building and the surrounding areas of Ban Rang Krathum School in Bang Pasi, Bang Len, Nakhon Pathom.
During 25-26 February 2023, the Regional Academic Resources and Community Engagement Center – Nonthaburi held its 1st volunteering camp at Bang Len Service Center of the Regional Special Education Center 1 in Nakhon Pathom (Ban Rang Krathum School). The camp is part of the STOU Sharing the Smile Project which has been carried out for 4 years consecutively. The Nakhon Pathom Student Club led the student club network from Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, and Samut Prakan, to do volunteering activities including painting, rewiring, repairing classrooms’ materials, as well as cleaning the kitchen and the school surrounding areas.
The volunteering camp is one of the activities that allow the university to give back to society. It also helps promote a sense of community for the students and boosts the students’ social and other valuable soft skills.
The STOU student clubs will continue to engage with the community through such volunteering activities.
26 January 2023 – On behalf of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU), Asst. Prof. Dr. Gan Chanyawudhiwan, Acting Vice-President for Academic Services, Cultural Preservation, and International Affairs together with Mrs. Rattip Phukkeson, Acting Director of the Department of International Affairs, led the team to donate old desk calendars to the Educational Technology Center for the Blind, Foundation for the Blind in Thailand under the Royal Patronage of H.M. the Queen.
The donation was accepted by Ms. Chanidapa Petchrak, the Director of the Educational Technology Center for the Blind. The old desk calendars will be used to produce Braille-printed instructional materials.
This is the second time STOU carried out the collection of old calendars to raise awareness regarding becoming Green University. The activity could draw the attention of the university’s staff, students, and also the general public.
Congratulations to Miss Ratchakon Kongcharoen, Miss Kanlayanee Supadit, and Mr. Arcade Kewsawang for receiving awards at the PULINET 2023 Conference.
The 13th Provincial University Library Network National Conference or PULINET 2023 was held under the theme “Foresight in Reinventing Libraries in a VUCA World: The Next Move,” by Ubon Ratchathani University during 17-20 January 2023 at Sunee Grand Hotel and Convention Center, Ubon Ratchathani.
The Librarians of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University participated in the conference and presented their academic works and were awarded as the following.
Miss Ratchakon Kongcharoen received an excellence award for a poster presentation on “SEO content development strategy: a case study on the promotion of identity information perception at STOU”
Mrs. Kanlayanee Supadit and Mr. Arcade Kewsawang received an honorable mention for oral presentation on “Nonthaburi local information development experience with AR, VR, and Mataverse technology”
There were also three works that won popular votes awards.
“The development of online learning resources in information from King Prajadhipok’s studies and university archives to promote lifelong learning in a volatile world” by Miss Yawinthakorn Thongkaek and Miss Duangrat Dikhua
“Management of Complimentary e-Book” by Mrs. Nuttaporn Juidech and Miss Thepparat Hanwaree
“Knowledge Base Development for Answering and Researching Service of the Office of Information and Documentation, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University” by Miss Jiranat Anantachai and Miss Nattapat Butsua
5 January 2023 – Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) together with the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Prime Minister Office, organized an academic symposium to disseminate the works of local administrative organizations that received the good governance award in 2022, at Best Western Plus Wanda Grand Hotel in Nonthaburi. Mr. Teerapong Wongsiwawilas, Secretary-General to the Cabinet, presided over the opening ceremony
The event featured both poster and oral presentations from the top three awardees of the 4 categories including 1) digital and informational system, 2) grassroots community and economy development, 3) education and public health, and 4) environment and urban development. There was also an academic discussion on “Achieving good governance in the local administrative organizations: two decades and moving forward.” There were a number of attendants both on-site and online.
In collaboration with the Office of the Commission on Decentralization to Local Administrative Organization, the STOU School of Management Science organized the awarding event and the symposium continuously to honor local administrative organizations that succeeded in developing and increasing the potential of local public services, as well as successfully created local innovations.
STOU acted as the advisor to the award committee with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Narathip Sriram, Acting Vice-President for Education and Learning Support as the Chief Advisor. There were a total of 421 local administrative organizations participated and 271 recognized with good governance awards. The top awardees of both poster and oral presentations featured in this year’s symposium include the following.
Digital and informational system
Pakkret Municipality, Nonthaburi
Nakhon Sawan Municipality, Nakhon Sawan
Yala Municipality, Yala
Pa Sak Subdistrict Municipality, Lampoon
Non Sa-ad Subdistrict Municipality, Nong Bua Lamphu
Pang Mu Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, Mae Hong Son
Mae Suad Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, Mae Hong Son
Grassroots community and economy development
Chiang Kan Subdistrict Municipality, Loei
Mae Tuen Subdistrict Municipality, Lampoon
Takhian Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, Si Sa Ket
Pakmai Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, Si Sa Ket
Ta Kham Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, Songkhla
On 8 December 2022, The School of Law, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU), and the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand co-hosted a forum on Policymaking Trends and Directions for Marriage Equality Rights for Sexual Diversity People in Thailand at the main conference hall of Phitayapat Building at STOU main campus in Nonthaburi.
The speakers at the forum included Mr. Kerdchoke Kasemwongjit, Deputy Director-General of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department (RLPD); Mr. Thanyawat Kamolwongwat, Spokesperson of the Committee on Children, Youth, Women, Older Persons, Persons with. Disabilities, Ethnic Groups, and LGBTs; Mr. Kittinun Daramadhaj, President of the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand; Ms. Nareeluck Phaechaiphum, Director of the International Human Rights Division; Mr. Tankhun Jitt-itsara, Member of the Select Committee of Civil Partnership Bill Consideration; Prof. Dr. Suchatchavee Suwansawas, Head of Modern Education Campaign, Democrat Party; and Asst. Prof. Dr. Sathita Wimonkunarak, Advisor to the Select Committee of Civil Partnership Bill Consideration, and lecturer of the STOU School of Law. The forum drew attention to participants both on-site and online.
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) as a member of the International Council of Distance Education (ICDE) joined two Working Groups of the Global Advocacy Campaign (GAC) for Open Flexible and Distance Learning (OFDL) – Asia.
The ICDEGAC-Asia (#ICDEGACAsia) is part of the ICDE Global Campaign for Open Flexible and Distance Learning (OFDL) which aims to develop a deeper understanding of regional challenges and construct key OFDL messaging within organized working groups around the world. Specific for Asia, the campaign aims to increase the level of awareness and practice of OFDL through the implementation of the campaign in different Asian countries. Subsumed under the campaign will be advocating for changes in collaboration and quality; valuing student voices; technology’s role; guidance for policymakers; and open educational resources (OER). The GAC-Asia is one of the ICDE-GAC Task Forces along with Oceania, Latin America, and Europe.
STOU joined two Working Groups of the ICDE GAC Asia as the following.
Working Group 4 on “Development of Digital Platform” Members include Dr. Tejtasin Phiasai (Deputy Director, Office of Computer Services), Ms. Nisachon Piyasin (Office of Computer Services), and Mrs. Rattip Phukkeson (Acting Director, Department of International Affairs)
Working Group 5 on “Future Collaboration” Members include Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sungworn Ngudgratoke (Director, Institute for Research and Development), Dr. Phantupa Amornrit (Faculty Member, Office of Educational Technology), and Mrs. Rattip Phukkeson (Acting Director, Department of International Affairs)
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) has been ranked 489th in the world among a sustainable universities list.
Started in 2010, the UI GreenMetric is an initiative of Universitas Indonesia that ranks universities throughout the world based on their commitment and actions toward sustainability.
In 2022, UI GreenMetric themed “Collective Actions for Transforming Sustainable Universities in the Post-Pandemic Time,” focusing on universities’ efforts to continue their sustainability programs and policies based on UI GreenMetric and SDGs while preparing for teaching, learning, and research in post-pandemic Covid-19. There were 1,050 universities from 80 countries participated in the 2022 UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. Participants completed an online questionnaire with six categories: setting and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, transportation, and education. With a total of 6,070 out of 10,000 points, STOU has been ranked 489th in the world, and 28th in Thailand. STOU has put sustainability among one of the five missions in the STOU Plan for Excellence.
The Top 10 Universities in 2022 UI Green Metric World University Rankings
Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands (Last year rank: 1)
Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom (Last year rank: 4)
University of Nottingham, UK (Last year rank: 2)
University of Groningen, Netherlands (Last year rank: 3)
University of California, Davis, USA (Last year rank: 5)
Umwelt-Campus Birkenfeld (Trier University of Applied Sciences), Germany (Last year rank: 6)
University College Cork, Ireland (Last year rank: 8)
University of Connecticut, USA (Last year rank: 9)
Universitat Bremen, Germany (Last year rank: N/A)
Universidade de Sao Paulo USP, Brazil (Last year rank: 10)
The Top 10 Thai Universities in 2022 UI Green Metric World University Rankings
Kasetsart University (World rank: 40)
Mahidol University (World rank: 46)
King Mongkut ‘s University of Technology Thonburi (World rank: 63)
Suranaree University of Technology (World rank: 68)
Mahasarakham University (World rank: 101)
Siam University (World rank: 102)
Walailak University (World rank: 111)
Mae Fah Luang University (World rank: 119)
Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT) (World rank: 124)
