Thailand is working to position itself as the hub of air travel. However, the number of graduates in aviation is not sufficient compared to the demands from the market and the industry. The number of Thai students enrolled in universities or aviation study institutes has increased dramatically by three times between 2013 and 2014. There were 5,000 and 15,000 students studying for Aviation in 2013 and 2015 respectively.
In addition to the increasing number of graduates, the quality of students and courses are also vital. According to a report from ONESQA or the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Public Organization), there are currently 26 Thai institutions offering courses related to Aviation Study. All of them were assessed as ‘Good’ and 3 of them were rated ‘Good - Excellent’ The three institutions are Eastern Asia University, Training Aviation Training Center, and Rangsit University.
Source: Prachachat Thurakit Newspaper on 1 April 2016. http://www.prachachat.net/news_detail.php?newsid=1459506095
Comments and analysis by Uraiwan Samolee, Head of Business Development, Education
I see this trend as a good opportunity for UK institutions offering Aviation courses. UK institutions can more widely promote courses related to Aviation Study which could be related to Engineering, Pilot Training, Aviation Business, and Aviation Technology. In addition, with the goal of the Thai government to be the hub of air travel, there are also opportunities to develop with local universities a joint or double degree. This will add value to the courses and the graduates because their qualifications will be internationally recognised and students will have better English proficiency. This can help with their employability and also for international recognition of Thai Aviation.
In addition to Higher Education, there can also be perceived opportunities for Further Education institutions who are very strong in Aviation and also English Language providers who can deliver English for Aviation.