The Logic of the Thai Higher Education Sector on Quality Assessment Policy

Although the concept of quality has been an essential part of the higher education sector, the global quest for Quality Assessment (QA hereafter) has raised attention to quality to a new level. Van Vught and Westerheijden (1994) argue that the common charateristics of QA policy include: meta-level organization to conduct external evaluation, self-evaluation, peer review (site visits), published reports, and no link to public funding. Based on the document analysis, at least 48 countries established a meta-organization to implement QA between 1983 and 2010. This finding substantiates that QA has become a "global education policy." This term, coined by Verger et al. (2012), refers to "similar education reforms and a common set of education policy jargon [that] are being applied in many parts of the world" (p. 1). Influenced by policy borrowing and lending theory (Steiner-Khamsi, 2012), this dissertation was interested in understanding why a "global education policy" such as QA resonates in Thailand. Furthermore, it explored how the policy was introduced, implemented, and interpreted by the stakeholders within the higher education sector since its inception. This dissertation deployed a qualitative case study methodology with a triangulation of three methods to collect data: document analysis, 80 elite interviews, and a three-month internship at the Office of National Educational Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA).In 1994, QA was a topic of policy discussion within Thailand's higher education sector. However, it was not until 1999, with the promulgation of the National Education Act, that QA became a legal mandate for every institution. ONESQA, a public organization, was established in the year 2000 to be responsible for conducting external quality assessment. Comparing the timing of Thailand's institutionalization of QA to the international landscape, the country is considered to be a late adopter of the policy. Steiner-Khamsi (2006) aptly argued that a study of a late adopter is equivalent to a study on globalization.Why did a "global education policy" such as QA resonate in Thailand? It is argued that historical legacies of the Thai state, policy timing, and the policy belief systems of the policy elites help to explain the policy resonance and the introduction and implementation of QA in Thailand. Historically, the Thai elites have always, actively and purposefully, made reference to policies from elsewhere in order to legitimize national reform. The historical development of the Thai higher education sector is the case in point. While the establishment of universities during the early days of nation-building relied on European models, American models became the blueprint after the Second World War. QA resonated in Thailand because of this historically rooted logic of the Thai state that favored global trends. Policy timing was also an important factor. Given that QA was a byproduct of a sector-wide education reform, the Asian Economic Crisis provided a much needed "window of opportunity" to legitimize the new legal framework (Fry, 2000). The policy belief systems of Thai policy elites mattered. Through cross-sectoral borrowing, senior bureaucrats, university executives, and representatives from the private sector based QA on their professional experiences.How was QA introduced, implemented and interpreted within Thailand's higher education sector? The introduction of QA was perceived as an "irresistible global model/ trend" that Thailand needed to follow. The implementation of QA has been amalgamated within the existing hierarchy, seniority, and structure of Thailand. While QA policy was bureaucratized in every visited university through the creation of a central office, there has also been a professionalization of QA at extensive meetings, trainings, data collection, and self-assessment reports. The interpretation of QA differs depending on the type of institution, official position of each individual, and academic discipline. It is evident that university executives are more favorable to QA, while academics criticize QA for its abundant paperwork and question the link between quality education and quality assessment.This dissertation primarily contributes to the advancement of policy borrowing and lending theory. In addition to the politics and economics of borrowing, the case of Thailand elucidates the existence of a culture of borrowing. Thailand deploys externalization strategy to justify the locally and historically rooted logic and aspiration that becoming modern and adapted to global trends is a national necessity. By identifying the multiple faces of globalization and how it has been used as problem, policy, and politics, this dissertation also contributes to strengthening Comparative Policy Studies

Sulfated galactans from red seaweed Gracilaria fisheri target epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and inhibit cholangiocarcinoma cells (CCA) proliferation

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is increasing in incidence worldwide and is resistant to chemotherapeutic agents, making treatment of CCA a major challenge. Previous studies reported that natural sulfated polysaccharides (SPs) disrupted growth factor receptor activation in cancer cells. The present study, therefore, aimed at investigating the anti-proliferation effect of sulfated galactans (SG) isolated from the red seaweed Gracilaria fisheri (G. fisheri) on CCA cell lines. Direct binding activity of SG to CCA cells, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were determined. The effect of SG on proliferation of CCA cells was investigated. Cell cycle analyses and expression of signaling molecules associated with proliferation were also determined. The results demonstrated that SG bound directly to EGFR. SG inhibited proliferation of various CCA cell lines by inhibiting EGFR and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) phosphorylation, and inhibited EGF-induced increased cell proliferation. Cell cycle analyses showed that SG induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, down-regulated cell cycle genes and proteins (cyclin-D, cyclin-E, Cdk-4, Cdk-2), and up-regulated the tumor suppressor protein P53 and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor P21. Taken together, these data demonstrate that SG from G. fisheri inhibited proliferation of CCA cells, and its mechanism of inhibition is mediated, to some extent, by inhibitory effects on EGFR activation and EGFR/ERK signaling pathway. SG presents a potential EGFR targeted molecule, which may be further clinically developed in a combination therapy for CCA treatment

A Critical Study of Thailand's Higher Education Reforms: The culture of borrowing

This book offers a critical examination of contemporary higher education reforms in Thailand situated in the broader historical, socio-economic and political changes. Through a qualitative case study with three methods of inquiry, this book explores why different 'global education policies' such quasi-privatisation, internationalization, as quality assessment (QA) have resonated in Thailand higher education sector. Grounded in policy borrowing and lending, this book uses the politics, economics and culture of borrowing to analyse major reforms in Thailand for the past one hundred years. It is argued that historical legacy, policy contexts and belief systems of policy elites play pivotal roles in facilitating policy changes or the lack thereof. While historical analysis elucidates that the Thai state has always been an active borrower of western ideas, the perseverance of the 'Thai-ness' discourse has often been used to suggest its so-called independence and idiosyncrasy. This in-depth analysis of the Thai case aims to contribute to the critical studies in Asian education, comparative higher education, policy borrowing and lending and Thai studies. The Culture of Borrowing intensively studies the policy appropriation in the Thai education system by analysing: • Selective Borrowing and the Historical Development of Thai Higher Education • The Asian Economic Crisis as Window of Opportunity: Autonomous University • Internationalization of Teaching: Quantitative and Qualitative Challenges • The Emergence of Quality Policies and their Rationales • The Intended and Unintended Consequences of Quality Policies This book will appeal to researchers in Education, particularly to scholars studying educational policies within the context of tertiary education. It will also interest scholars specialising in Asian and South-east Asian Studies

Towards the stereoselective synthesis of bicyclic and tricyclic alkaloid natural products

In this thesis we discuss the stereoselective synthesis of natural products containing bicyclic heterocycle with a bridgehead nitrogen atom. The unique structural feature of this core skeleton has inspired interest regarding to their stereochemistry and biological properties.DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (SPMS

Kaempferol Addition Increases the Antimalarial Activity of Artesunate in Experimental Mice

Kaempferol (KMF) is a member of flavonol widely found in tea, broccoli, apples, strawberries, and beans. It has been demonstrated to present several pharmacological properties with potent antimalarial activity against Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. Hence, the search for a safe and new antimalarial compound with combinations to delay the development of resistance was the aim of this study. Thus, the therapeutic effect of the combination of KMF and artesunate (ART) in P. berghei-infected mice was evaluated. Combination of KMF and ART in P. berghei ANKA- (PbANKA-) infected ICR mice in a fixed-ratio combination (1 : 1) and fractions of their median effective dose (ED50) was also investigated using the standard 4-day suppressive test. The ED50 levels of KMF and ART in mice infected with PbANKA were 20.06 ± 2.65 and 6.06 ± 1.33 mg/kg, respectively. Moreover, KMF showed promising synergistic combination with ART at the doses of their ED50 and fixed-ratio combination (1 : 1) of their ED50 of 1/2 with combination index (CI) values of 0.86 and 0.47, respectively. Additionally, KMF, ART, and its combination at the doses of their ED50 and fixed-ratio combination (1 : 1) of their ED50 of 1/2 also presented significantly (P<0.001) prolonged mean survival time (MST). The findings of this study showed that a combination of KMF and ART enhanced the antimalarial activity of ART and prolonged MST. This study supports the basis for the selection of KMF as a prospective compound for further consideration as a partner drug for ART