Thailand's Policy Council Elevates Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts in National Policy Design, Positioning Higher Education to Drive Thailand's Future
Thailand's policy research agency is elevating social sciences, humanities, and arts alongside science and technology to shape national development, emphasizing that sustainable progress requires understanding people and society, not just e
On June 29, 2569, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suphakorn Punyariddhi, Deputy Director of the Office of the National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy Council (OHEC), revealed the situation amid major global transformations including digitalization, aging societies, climate change, and increasing complexity in inequality. Future national development cannot rely solely on scientific and technological progress or economic growth alone, but must also depend on understanding people, society, culture, and human behavior. "This is why OHEC emphasizes developing knowledge in social sciences, humanities, and arts alongside science, technology, and innovation to ensure public policy comprehensively addresses societal realities," Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suphakorn stated.
He further explained that social sciences and science are like two legs of a nation that must walk forward together, as future development is not merely about technology or economics, but requires understanding people, social context, and impacts on citizens. OHEC's work in this area covers research and policy recommendations on critical national issues including social and educational inequality, human capital development, demographic structure changes, regional economic and social development, promotion of social mobility, and leveraging cultural capital, creative economy, and arts as mechanisms for national economic and social development.
Currently, OHEC is promoting Social Science Policy—an approach that uses social sciences and humanities as part of designing Thailand's future. Rather than merely studying or explaining social problems, it aims to apply this knowledge to define development pathways that provide people access to opportunities, reduce inequality, and enable citizens to develop their potential and address structural inequality.
From OHEC's perspective, the role of social sciences, humanities, and arts extends beyond analyzing problems or explaining social phenomena; they must be part of public policy design, creating social justice, and laying foundations for long-term national development. "Sustainable national development must prioritize quality of life, inclusivity, and fairness alongside economic growth, because ultimately, development's goal is not economic figures but improving people's lives," emphasized the OHEC deputy director.
However, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suphakorn noted that current inequality extends beyond income to include access to education, technology, future skills, and opportunities for self-determination. Therefore, the higher education, science, research, and innovation system must elevate its role from merely producing knowledge to becoming a Societal Transformation Platform that connects knowledge, technology, innovation, universities, government, private sector, and communities.
"The key word for the future higher education system is creating opportunities, not just creating knowledge," Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suphakorn stated, adding that OHEC has driven grassroots economic development and upward social mobility through various important mechanisms.
