Thammasat University

Website: http://www.tu.ac.th

Thammasat University (TU), founded in 1934, is known to be one of the leading universities in Thailand. TU has been a part of several social transformations of the country, often dubbed as “the University of the People”. On behalf of TU, the Thammasat University Research Unit in Urban Futures and Policy joined EPIC-N in June 2021. The Research Unit also introduced the EPIC Model to two other TU institutions. They are Thammasat Design School and the Puey Ungphakorn School of Development Studies.

Thammasat University Research Unit in Urban Futures and Policy

Website: http://www.urbanfuturestu.com

Thammasat University Research Unit in Urban Futures and Policy (UFP) is a research unit, under Thammasat University, specializing in urban sustainability and urban development policy and planning. UFP is a recipient of the UNEP-GAN Seed Grant, a START Regional Affiliate, a member of SDSN-Thailand, and a host for EPIC-N Asia.

UFP was founded by a research team that is interested in “future changes,” whether climate or socio-economic changes, that will affect the development of cities. The Unit focuses on multidisciplinary research and promotes the capacity building of the urban society to cope and adapt to uncertainty and build resilience and sustainability.

UFP has been active in engaging with students through many of its projects. Through the Seed Grant, the Unit has piloted the EPIC Model by partnering with Hat Yai Municipality in Songkhla Province, Thailand, to enable a graduate student to assist the municipality in developing the city according to the Green City Action Plan while completing their degree in urban planning. Following this pilot program, Urban Futures plans to encourage more faculties and schools in Thammasat University to adopt the EPIC Model.

Fun Facts about TDS

Year EPIC Program Established | 2021
Country | Thailand

City Partners

2021 | Hat Yai Municipality • Population: 152,802

Thammasat Design School

Website: https://www.tds.tu.ac.th/

Officially, the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at Thammasat University, the Thammasat Design School (TDS) has been one of the leading institutions that offer a design education that drives academic development and research with professional curriculums in architectures and planning.

TDS has been working with UFP for many years. With assistance from UFP, TDS is planning on incorporating the EPIC Model into its classes to benefit both the students and cities partners.

Fun Facts about TDS

Year EPIC Program Established | Expected to start in 2022-2023 academic year
Country | Thailand
Number of students at institution | 1,760 (2021-2022)

Puey Ungphakorn School of Development Studies

Website: https://www.psds.tu.ac.th/

Founded initially as the Graduate Volunteer Center to provide graduates of different universities the opportunities to experience rural life and local communities, the Puey Ungphakorn School of Development Studies (PSDS) is now a full-fledged higher education institution of Thammasat University. The school aims to develop social change agents through its teaching on development, sustainability, volunteerism, Social Enterprise, and Cooperate Social Responsibilities (CSR).

The lecturers and researchers at PSDS have collaborated with many cities through the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA), a Thai government department, to perform the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and the Social Return on Investment (SROI) on sustainable tourism programs. With support from the UFP, PSDS will incorporate the SROI on cities’ sustainable tourism programs into its classes.

Fun Facts about PSDS

Year EPIC Program Established | Expected to start in 2022-2023 academic year
Country | Thailand
Number of students at institution | 445 (2021-2022)

Contact Info

Associate Professor Wijitbusaba (Ann) Marome
Thammasat University Research Unit in Urban Futures and Policy
wijitbusaba@ap.tu.ac.th

Nontarit Bejrananda
Thammasat University Research Unit in Urban Futures and Policy
n.bejrananda@gmail.com