Thailand Launches Entrepreneurship Education Forum with UNESCO
Thailand launched a national entrepreneurship education forum in Bangkok on September 24, bringing together government officials, UNESCO representatives, and educators to promote entrepreneurship competencies as essential skills across all
On September 24 at the Asia Hotel in Bangkok, Deputy Permanent Secretary Panthep Arunee of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation chaired the opening of the Entrepreneurship Education National Forum under the theme "Entrepreneurship Competence: A Core Skill for Every Learner and Every Profession." The event was attended by Tengku Amir Shah Ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Al-Haj, Regent of Selangor and patron of AiSED (UNESCO's Asia-Pacific Entrepreneurship Education Network), along with Malaysian officials, UNESCO representatives, university leaders, researchers, and entrepreneurs.
Deputy Permanent Secretary Panthep Arunee stated that rapid technological change, artificial intelligence, emerging industries, and new work models require universities to shift from simply preparing graduates for employment to developing students with entrepreneurship competencies—the ability to identify opportunities, take initiative, solve problems, create innovation, and adapt to change. These skills apply across all professions and align with the concept of intrapreneurship, which encourages employees to drive innovation within organizations.
He emphasized that developing such competencies requires a learning ecosystem connecting universities with research and innovation sectors, industry, communities, and entrepreneurial networks, so students can learn from real experience and create tangible value. The forum serves as an important platform for sharing knowledge, experience, and best practices, and for building cooperation networks between Thailand's entrepreneurship community and UNESCO's network to enhance entrepreneurship education and link Thailand with the broader Asia-Pacific region. The goal is to develop a new generation with creativity, initiative, confidence, and adaptability to create value for the economy and society.
Tengku Amir Shah highlighted that Thailand's policy on promoting entrepreneurship skills in higher education reflects the elevation of universities' role in developing necessary skills and qualities for the future, emphasizing universities' importance in creating opportunities and fostering youth potential through knowledge exchange and regional networking among educational institutions.
Dato Steve Chiah noted that entrepreneurship education should provide learners with hands-on experience in creative thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative work.
