QAA signs Memorandum of Understanding with ONESQA, Kingdom of Thailand

QAA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA), the organisation responsible for overseeing the quality of higher education in the Kingdom of Thailand. ONESQA was established by the 2000 Royal Decree and oversees the development of criteria and methods for the external quality assurance of Thai higher education institutions.

The agreement builds upon a Letter of Intent previously signed between both organisations in July 2019. Since signing the agreement, QAA has collaborated with ONESQA in a number of areas including supporting a training programme for ONESQA external quality reviewers in September 2020 - demonstrating the positive impact of inter-agency cooperation for building capacity in higher education and improving opportunities for students worldwide.

Through the MoU, QAA and ONESQA aim to further their collaboration on shared areas of activity, recognising their shared objectives and comparable missions in the assurance of quality in higher education. The agreement will lead to enhanced information sharing between both parties about developments in their respective countries’ higher education system in order to strengthen UK-Thai higher education partnerships and support the development of transnational education (TNE) links between higher education institutions.

Through the agreement, QAA will support our International Insights Members by sharing intelligence on the regulatory context in the Kingdom of Thailand. QAA and ONESQA will also collaborate on matters of mutual interest, such as academic integrity. This will further support QAA in its capacity of supporting the enhancement of higher education internationally and it will contribute to the development of mutual trust and confidence between the UK and Thai higher education sectors, working to the benefit of all UK and Thai higher education providers.

Vicki Stott, QAA’s Chief Executive said: ‘The signing of this agreement signals the importance of the partnership between QAA and ONESQA. We look forward to working with ONESQA to explore opportunities for collaboration between QAA Members and higher education institutions in the Kingdom of Thailand.’

Dr Nantha Nguantad, ONESQA’s Acting Director said: ‘This collaborative agreement represents a significant step forward for the strong friendship in promoting the interchange of information and understanding each other’s missions in ensuring quality in higher education. We are very pleased to continue working with QAA and to have such an engaging UK-Thai higher education partnership and the development of TNE in higher education for the two countries.’

The agreement will last for a period of three years, with the potential of an extension for a further three years upon the agreement of both parties.