Thailand Removes Barriers to Academic Mobility Across Universities
Thailand's higher education ministry has removed bureaucratic barriers allowing university faculty and staff to work across institutions without losing benefits, service records, or career advancement opportunities. The new policy aims to b
On July 24, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Yotchanun Wongsuwan announced good news for faculty and personnel under the ministry, revealing success in unlocking a talent mobility policy.
Yotchanun said the ministry has now fully unlocked the Talent Mobility issue by signing a new ministerial announcement on guidelines for personnel movement and exchange. The core concept is to create opportunities for capable personnel to work in suitable locations where they can maximize their potential and create the greatest benefit, fostering new knowledge exchange without being bound by old regulations.
Previously, many personnel wished to help other universities or organizations but worried about civil service rules, record damage, or career advancement impacts. The ministry therefore issued a new announcement to dismantle these barriers.
Key benefits of the new policy include: full cross-agency work capability, allowing temporary assistance or exchanges between universities and other agencies; uninterrupted service record, ensuring continuous service time counting without losing employment rights; unobstructed career advancement, allowing normal salary raises and academic position applications (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor); and scholarship repayment time counting, where time spent working in other agencies counts toward any required scholarship repayment period.
This unlocking represents a crucial opportunity for personnel to break free from old frameworks, gain experience, build inter-agency networks, and collectively advance Thailand's research and education systems. Yotchanun stated: "I have always believed human capital is the most important cog in driving the nation forward. The ministry is committed to continuously developing people, removing various barriers, and building the best ecosystem to allow all our talented people to grow and demonstrate their full potential without limits."
