Ministry shifts skills project focus

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) will revise its Skill/Credit Portfolio project to place greater emphasis on lifelong learning, future workforce development and national skills planning.

MHESI deputy secretary-general Suksit Srichomkwan said a committee meeting on Tuesday approved changes to the project following instructions from Higher Education Minister Yodchanan Wongsawat.

The project is intended to create a national digital platform for recording academic credits, skills certificates, and lifelong learning achievements. It is also designed to support credit transfers between institutions, help students document skills acquired through formal and non-formal learning and provide data for workforce planning.

Mr Suksit, who chaired the meeting, said the review was aimed at ensuring the project remains in line with rapid technological change, the growth of future industries and rising demand for highly skilled workers.

The project was developed after the ministry studied Singapore’s SkillsFuture programme in 2023. The ministry later secured policy approval and appointed a committee on Dec 9 last year to draft the project’s terms of reference.

Mr Suksit said the committee approved several measures, including prioritising high-quality learning content and an open online learning platform capable of linking with national education systems. The National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec) will review the system’s technical requirements and examine development and management models.

Another measure is that the Council of University Presidents of Thailand will help establish curriculum frameworks and learning standards linked to higher education programmes and industry demand.