Srinakharinwirot University (Prasanmit Campus)

University History Srinakharinwirot University was developed from two institutions: The Advanced Teacher Training School, founded in 1949 and the College of Education, founded in 1953. In 1974, it was named Srinakharinwirot University.

 

The Advanced Teacher Training School Srinakharinwirot University has a long history, having been founded in the Post –World War II  period of recovery from the war terror, economic and social problems. The newly founded the United Nations aimed to unite and coordinate countries in many aspects, including education which resulted in the global advancement of intellect.

 

The Advanced Teacher Training School under the Ministry of Education, was established on April 28, 1949, on Prasarnmit road, Bangkok, with an emphasis on education for professional teachers. At that time, education science was still new for Thai society, which was expanding and lacked professional teachers.

 

The Advanced Teacher Training School started offering a certificate for elementary and secondary school teachers. Professor M.L. Pin Malakul, the Permanent Secretary, the Ministry of Education, was the founder of the Advanced Teacher Training School, and played a vital role in education both in the College of Education and Thai society. 

 

Luang Sawaddi-Sansatbhuddhi was appointed the first School Director of Advanced Teacher Training from 1949 to1953. He was the leader who implemented Teacher Training regulations, and initiated Academic Science. He was also renowned as a respectable model of professional teacher.

 

The College of Education In 1953, the scarcity of teachers and educators in society was an increasingly serious problem. Against a background of a society in change, Professor Dr. Saroj Buasri, a modern and progressive leader in the field of Education proposed to the Ministry of Education the establishment of the College of Education to develop the philosophy and concepts necessary for modern education and knowledge in compliance with a democratic society. Additionally, Education Science was developed as a deeply embedded professional system in Thai society. Undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in Education were offered.

 

The College of Education was founded in place of the Advanced Teacher Training School on September 16, 1954. Professor M.L. Pin Malakul was appointed President from 1954 to 1956, while Professor Dr. Saroj Buasri was appointed as Head of the Faculty of Education. After that, Professor Dr. Saroj Buasri became President of the College of Education until 1964.

 

The College of Education was the leader in Education Management in Elementary and Secondary Schools, employing the concept of Demonstration Schools in which a modern basic education system was experimented with research. With Prasarnmit campus as the centre of administration, the college was set up in campus systems which expanded into Patumwan (1955), Bangsaen (1957), Pisanulok (1958), Mahasarakam (1958), Songkhla (1958), Pranakhon (1959), and the Physical Education College (1960).

 

Professor Dr. Saroj Buasri, an academic and a modern educator, laid the foundation for Thai education by developing a progressive approach and adopting modern western ideas about learning and teaching, including systems related to libraries, grading, and evaluation. Furthermore, the College of Education provided staff, books and numerous grants. It can be claimed that the College had the most advanced education system at that time. The emblem of the College of Education was the mathematic symmetry of an exponential curve ( y = ex ), which contains an upwardly rising curve, signifying the university’s philosophy of “Education is growth”. The meaning is also in line with the university’s colors of grey and red, where ‘grey’ represents the brain, meaning ‘thought’; and ‘red’ refers to blood, meaning ‘courage’. The ‘Grey-Red’ thus means ‘thinking with courage’.

 

Srinakharinwirot University In 1973, Professor Dr. Sudjai Laosuntorn was the President of the College of Education. Prior to October 14, 1973, the university staff, students and civil servants lobbied the Thai government to raise the status of the College of Education to university level and transferred it from the administration of the Ministry of Education to that of the Bureau of University Affairs.

 

Despite the constraints of the then military government, the college made its structure, administration, and limited learning and teaching more flexible and became a university with diverse professions. On June 29, 1974, Srinakharinwirot University, ‘the university of progress and urbanity was named with Professor Dr. Sudjai Lao-suntorn as President from 1969 to 1978.

 

The university followed a multiple-campus administration system for 16 years. After 1990, each campus became an independent university which had its own budget and administration.

 

In 1990, Bangsaen and Pisanulok campuses were upgraded to Burapha University and Naresuan University respectively.

 

In 1993, Patumwan, Bangkhen, Prasarnmit campuses were amalgamated as a central campus.

 

In 1994, Mahasarakam campus was upgraded to Mahasarakam University.

 

In 1996, Songkhla was upgraded to Taksin university.

 

In 1996, Srinakharinwirot University was expanded to Ongkaruk, Nakhon Nayok province.

 

In the past, Srinakharinwirot University consisted of six faculties: the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Humanities and Science, the Faculty of Social Science, the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Physical Education, and the Graduate School. Later, in phase 5 of the Higher education development plan (1982-1986), the Faculty of Medicine was set up; in phase 7 (1992-1996), the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Fine Arts, the Faculty of Dentistry, and the Faculty of Pharmacy; and in Phase 8 (1997-2001), the Faculty of Health Science and Nursing.

 

At present, Srinakharinwirot University is located at 114 Sukhumvit 23, Sukhumvit road, Klong Toey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110.