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Walailak University welcomed a team of international quality assurance experts this morning as it began a three-day evaluation under the ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) framework, one of the region's most rigorous benchmarks for academic quality.

The 535th AUN-QA Program Assessment, running from September 15 to 17, will examine four of the university's academic programs: the Master of Nursing Science Program in Community Nurse Practitioner, the Bachelor of Public Health Program in Community Public Health, the Bachelor of Science Program in Food Science and Innovation, and the Bachelor of Arts Program in English.

Each program is being reviewed by its own dedicated assessment team, drawn from AUN-QA's pool of assessors from across Southeast Asia: 
1. Master of Nursing Science Program in Community Nurse Practitioner — Lead Assessor (Chief Assessor) Associate Professor Dr. Amalina Muhammad Afifi, with Dr. Maria Resurreccion P. Alejo as Assessor
2. Bachelor of Public Health Program in Community Public Health — Lead Assessor Associate Professor Dr. Rosula Reyes, with Dr. Sabarinah Prasetyo, MD, MSc, as Assessor
3. Bachelor of Science Program in Food Science and Innovation — Lead Assessor Associate Professor Dr. Le Quang Minh, with Assistant Professor Jon Paul Flor Maligalig as Assessor
4. Bachelor of Arts Program in English — Lead Assessor Professor Dr. Mohd Nizam Ab Rahman, with Professor Dr. Jo-Ann Y. Solomon as Assessor



The opening ceremony took place in the Conference Room on the first floor of Academic Building 6. In his address, Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, President of Walailak University, described the assessment as carrying significance well beyond a standard procedural review. "Achieving the AUN-QA certification is not only an international recognition of our academic quality but also an indication of our commitment to enhancing the quality education at Walailak University," he told attendees, adding that the process is "one of the vital steps in building confidence among our students, parents, and prospective employers, while at the same time strengthening the university's global reputation and competitiveness."

Speaking on behalf of the visiting assessment team, Dr Alejo formally inaugurated the assessment, calling it "another milestone" in Walailak University's pursuit of delivering quality programs for students in Thailand. She told university leaders and staff it was "truly inspiring" to see program assessments still being actively pursued, and thanked Walailak's management and program personnel for the work invested in preparation and for continuing to place their trust in AUN-QA. "Academic excellence and seeking improvement is a never ending journey," she said, "and I am glad we are walking this road together." 



The timing carries extra significance. In recent weeks, four Walailak University programs — the Bachelor of Science Program in Science, the Bachelor of Science Program in Marine Science, the Master of Science Program in Pharmacy and Health Innovation (International Program), and the Bachelor of Business Administration Program in Digital Marketing and Branding — received AUN-QA Certificate accreditation for the first time in the university's history. Associate Professor Dr Surin Maisrikrod, Vice President for Education and Corporate Communications, has described that certification as one of four interconnected pillars behind Walailak's push for international recognition, alongside its adoption of the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) to strengthen teaching quality, its climb up world-class university rankings — including recognition from Times Higher Education — and its growing research output in Scopus-indexed Q1 and Q2 journals alongside expanding student and staff mobility. "Together, these four factors complete the picture of Walailak University's drive toward international recognition," Dr Surin said.

As a regional university based in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Walailak has built its mission around a particular idea: extending high-quality, internationally benchmarked education to communities that might otherwise have limited access to it. President Sombat noted that the AUN-QA framework aligns closely with that mission, since it evaluates the full student experience — from expected learning outcomes and teaching approaches to student assessment, academic staff quality, and student support services.

Over the coming three days, the assessment team will review the four selected programs in depth, with the resulting feedback expected to guide the university's ongoing curriculum development. 







News by Settaboot Onphakdee, Division of Corporate Communications