ข่าวเด่น

Walailak University (WU) today welcomed eight regional assessors for its first-ever on-site external quality assessment under the ASEAN University Network–Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) framework. The three-day evaluation of four academic programs will take place from July 7–9.

It is the first time AUN-QA has dispatched assessment teams to conduct on-site reviews at the university, marking a new stage in WU's push to benchmark its programs against regional and international standards.

Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, President of WU, officiated the event in the Conference Room on the first floor of Academic Building 6, with vice presidents and deans on hand to greet the visiting team.

The four programs under review, and the assessors assigned to each, are:

1. Master of Science Program in Pharmacy and Health Innovation (International Program) Lead Assessor: Dr. Nguyen Quoc Chinh Assessor: Prof. Dr. Ma. Rosel S. San Pascual

2. Bachelor of Science Program in Marine Science Lead Assessor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Evangeline P. Bautista Assessor: Dr. Nguyen Thi Huyen

3. Bachelor of Science Program in Science Lead Assessor: Prof. Dr. Aleth Therese L. Dacanay Assessor: Prof. Dr. Rusnadi Padjung

4. Bachelor of Business Administration Program in Digital Marketing and Branding Chief and Lead Assessor: Prof. Dr. Arnulfo P. Azcarraga Assessor: Dr. Kee Boon Pin

The visit builds on the groundwork WU laid last year when the university applied for AUN-QA external assessment in October 2025 and held two preparatory seminars for staff with AUN-QA experts ahead of today's visit.
 
In his welcome address, WU President Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong described the assessment as a significant step for the university, particularly given its role in providing access to quality higher education for students across southern Thailand.

He noted that the AUN-QA framework—which examines expected learning outcomes, curriculum and teaching approaches, student assessment, staff quality, and student support services—gives WU an internationally recognized way to measure its programs and reassure students, parents, and employers of their quality.

Associate Professor Dr. Surin Maisrikrod, Vice President for Education and Corporate Communications, said that the AUN-QA assessments constitute an essential part of WU’s strategic goals to internationalize education at the university. These include efforts to increase Scopus-indexed research output, adopt the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching, and expand English-medium instruction and student exchange programs.

Speaking on behalf of the visiting team—whose members traveled from the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia—Chief Assessor Prof. Dr. Arnulfo P. Azcarraga thanked the university for its hospitality. He commended the clarity of WU's self-assessment reports (SARs), which he said would help the team work efficiently over the coming days.

Professor Azcarraga explained that the team's role is to verify and validate the SARs through document reviews and interviews. He added that the team will provide findings and recommendations for WU at the end of the assessment.











Written by Settaboot Onphakdee, Division of Corporate Communications