Excellence in education can have different forms and definitions: while some understand vocational excellence as synonymous with high-quality TVET, others see excellence in providing learners with skills and abilities which guarantee employment through their labour market relevance. Excellence can also be achieved by adapting TVET programmes to current megatrends such as digitalization, Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence and environmental sustainability. Another definition might include the role of vocational excellence for achieving resilience of TVET systems vis-à-vis societal challenges, such as the demographic transition, migration or unemployment. In order for excellent TVET providers to address these challenges, one needs to find out how to identify and promote the drivers of vocational excellence.
Dr.Niwat Moonpa
Assistant Professor
Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna (RMUTL)
Thailand
Field of expertise/main research projects:
Asst. Prof. Dr. Niwat Moonpa is one of the well-known researchers in the fields of mechanics, materials, and engineering design for the industry which are based on the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in Thailand. He is a former vice-president of Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna (RMUTL) which is one of the leading universities in Thailand for implementing work-integrated learning through cooperation with private enterprises. In 2020, he wrote a book about the PPP project based on the results of the pilot project implemented at RMUTL. Currently, he is a project co-director for Progressing Work-based Learning of TVET system in Thailand (ProWoThai), the joint international research project that aims to further develop TVET system in Thailand through Work-based Learning (WBL) approach that relies on the concept of participatory action research. Asst. Prof. Dr. Niwat Moonpa is also the project director of the “Tripartite Education System Using Work-based Learning”, the Thai government research funding for producing qualified human resources through cooperation among universities, TVET colleges, and private companies in Thailand. In addition, he is also leading the Industrial Research Program on WiL (Work-integrated Learning): SiF (School-in-Factory project platform since 2013. He is graduated in Mechanical Engineering from King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB), Thailand, and received the French government scholarship for his doctoral research.
