Campus Thailand – a new strategy to meet new demands

• Since the early part of the new millennium the student application rate has declined in the field of engineering. At the same time the demand from companies has changed to more general degrees that also include international experience. As the world becomes evermore internationalized, companies need employees who can operate in the international market with insights into business culture across the globe with knowledge of sustainable development. All this was an enabler to start to think “out of the box” in order to design a new program. The name ofthe program is ‘International Business Engineering’, a three-year bachelor’s program, 180 ECTS. It includes main subjects such as business, quality, logistics, operations research and management. A mix that provides overall knowledge, catering to the needs in international careers. The program embraces a multi-national and multi-cultural outlook and an education that enables work for a sustainable development, integrated in the global economy. It starts with three semesters in Sweden. The fourth semester is located to Campus Thailand and the last semester gives the students an opportunity to do their thesis work in a number of countries around the world. It commenced in 2009 with 40 students, only half of which were Swedish. All courses are given in English by teachers from Sweden, Thailand, Cuba, South Africa etc. This first year there were 5 000 applicants from 80 countries. The courses often include group work, which also gives the students insights into and knowledge of cultural differences.Campus Thailand is located at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). A semester there makes the students part of a multi-cultural student environment. AIT has become a leading regional institution and is working towards technological and sustainable development in Asia and the area around the Pacific. CSR Asia is involved at AIT, teaching the students and performing field trips for the students in the South Asian region, including Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and more. Around 70 percent of all students and staff are international withover 40 nationalities represented, giving important international contacts for the future. Cooperation with the Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce and its many member companies enables the students to carry out internships with global companies such as SAS, ABB, Volvo, Electrolux and Husqvarna. To date (2013), 70 students have studied in Thailand and over 40 students have performed an internship in companies in Bangkok. From the first batch of students, two are now employed in Bangkok. Currently, the program has ten full-paying fee students.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

study abroad

teaching

higher education

bachelor program design

Thailand

Sweden

Business and IT

Handel och IT

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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