Ex-post Evaluation

1. Background of the Project

After the late 1980’s there was a shortage of engineers which was an obstacle to further growth of the Thai economy. The Thai government adopted the development of human resources in science and technology as a key issue, and planned the establishment of an engineering department in 8 national universities and a number of private universities, as a policy for expanding engineering education. The Government requested from Japan grant aid to establish educational machinery for FoE, and project-type technical cooperation to cultivate instructors for the FoE. A two-year follow-up (F/U) cooperation was implemented from March 1999 to March 2001 mainly to strengthen capabilities of the Departments of Chemical and Mechanical Engineering.

2. Project Overview

FoE, TU was expected to become one of the leading engineering faculties in Thailand providing highly qualified engineers and technical services to Thai industries by means of enchanting the education and research capability of five departments in the FoE.

(1) Overall Goal

FoE, TU will be one of leading engineering faculties in the country and produce quality engineers.

(2) Project Purpose

To strengthen teaching and research capability of the FoE’s academic staff.

(3) Outputs

a) FoE’s staff in particular Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Chemical Engineering (ChE) departments acquire capabilities to educate qualified graduates; b) Foe’s staff acquire enhanced research capabilities through research collaboration linkage with developing institutional and non-institutional organizations, and improvement of the FoE’s administrative system.

(4) Inputs

Japanese side:

Thai's side:

3-1 Summary of Evaluation Results

(1) Impact

(2) Sustainability

Overall sustainability is very high in comparison with the results during the F/U period and the increasing results after the Project termination up to the present time (2003), based on four criteria, i.e. the Ranking number of the Entrance Examination (No.7 in 2001 VS No. 4 in 2003); Graduate Programme (2 programmes from 1997 to 2000/2001 VS 5 programmes from 2001-2003/2004 with number of graduate student ≤ 10 from 1997 to 2000/2001 VS 72 from 2001-203/2004); Number of research publications (total 157 with Equivalent No. of 0.179 from 1996-2000 VS 89 with Equivalent No. of 5.131 from 2001-2003) whereas the Equivalent No. indicates high standard/international standard of research publications; and lastly number of FoE’s Ph.D holders is 28 in 2001 against 68 in 2003/2004. These figures indicate a positive trend of strengthen of teaching and research capability of FoE which implies that sustainability of the Project is secure.

3-2. Factors Promoting Sustainability and Impact

(1) Factors Concerning Planning

(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process

3-3. Factors Inhibiting Sustainability and Impact

(1) Factors Concerning Planning

(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process

3-4. Conclusions

(1) FoE, TU can upgrade its Ranking No. based on the Entrance Examination Scores to No. four of the top-five leading engineering faculties of the country (from No.7 with the highest score of 365 in 2000/2001 to No.4 with the highest/lowest scores of 374/256.51 in 2003).

(2) FoE, TU successfully established and produced high qualified engineers in accordance with the key policy of the 7th National Economic and Social Development Plan (1992 to 1996) in terms of human resources in science and technology development which has been the key issue from that period until now.

(3) Teaching and research capability of FoE’s staff have been strengthened through scholarships/training grants (63), research funds/supporting grants, (5,228,000.00 baht), and the establishment of 5 graduate programmes during 2000-2005.

(4) Strong impact in terms of the number of FoE’s staff holding Ph.D degrees 68 out of 88 academic staff, secures sustainability of the Project’s effects.

(5) Top-up system of salary (≥10,000-17,000 baht/person) and improvement of IT system support teaching and research capability of the academic staff eventually led to the FoE’s administrative system obtaining a Quality Assurance Certificate certified by the former MOU in 2001.

(6) Overall assessment implies that FoE’s teaching and research development was relatively impressive during 1994-2001, and after F/U termination the development has processed clearly towards sustainability.

3-5. Recommendations

(1) Continual collaboration on research works with Japanese universities/institutes, national and regional universities/institutes as well as the ndustrial sector will upgrade FoE, TU to reaching international standards, and be able to supply highly qualified engineers for Thai industries as expected.

(2) Incentives in terms of top-up system of salary and the Excellence Thesis/Research Award as well as good administrative system are effective measures for keeping FoE’s highly qualified/professional academic staff within the faculty.

3-6. Lessons Learned

(1) Timing of future cooperation should be fully discussed before project commencement as well as the readiness and needs of the two parties concerned to prevent misunderstanding and disruption of the project’s activities and also to secure maximum utilization of all related resources.

(2) Satisfaction and responsibility in regards to teaching and research as well as a sense of ownership of the cooperation project of academic staff are essential for technical success.

3-7. Follow-up Situation

N/A