Strategies for Creating Highly Competitive Graduates to Welcome ASEAN Economic Community Era: Thai Students Perspective

Abstract

The official launching of the ASEAN Economic Community in December 2015 makes it indispensable for member nations to re-examine their level of competitiveness in relation to others. The purpose of this paper is to look at the educational aspects of competitiveness by reviewing the potential strategies for creating highly competitive graduated in the ASEAN region, focusing mainly on Thai context. Specifically, the paper reflects on the main trends (global and ASEAN trends) educators should consider and the challenges that might be encountered in these trends. Then the paper theorized ways on how to produce effective learners, effective curricula, effective learning outcomes, effective classrooms and effective regulation environment. While these trends and factors are dynamic and may eventually change in time, their present repercussions in the realm of education are far-reaching and have crucial role in producing competitive graduates.