Mahasarakham University

Mahasarakham University
มหาวิทยาลัยมหาสารคาม
Motto ผู้มีปัญญา พึงเป็นอยู่เพื่อมหาชน
Motto in English
 Public Devotion is a Virtue of the Learned
Established 1994
(1968 as Mahasakham College of Education)
Type Public
President Suppachai Samappito (Acting)
Academic staff
 1,210[1] (2013)
Administrative staff
 2,198[1] (2013)
Students 45,681[1] (2013)
Location Maha Sarakham, Kantharawichai, Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand
16°11′57.7″N 103°17′02.3″E / 16.199361°N 103.283972°E
Campus Urban and Regional
Colours
                   
Sports Soccer, marathon
Nickname MSU
Affiliations Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning
Website msu.ac.th

Mahasarakham University (MSU) (Thai: มหาวิทยาลัยมหาสารคาม, pronounced: má-hăa wít-tá-yaa-lai má-hăa-săa-rá-kaam) is a Thai public university with approximately 45,000 higher education students in 2013.

The university has two campuses, the Old Campus located in the city center in Maha Sarakham Province in the Northeast region (Isan) of Thailand, and the New Campus located at Khamriang Subdistrict in the north-west of the city.

The university is the only Thai university that offers postgraduate programs in Paleontology and Bachelor of Arts in the Khmer Language. MSU is the first university in Northeastern Thailand to offer a Bachelor of Arts program in Accounting and the second to commence Ph.D. course in the same subject. Moreover, the Faculty of Education, the flagship of MSU voted as Thailand’s Best Education Faculty in 2010 by the National Education Office.

The university is the first Thai higher-education institution rated under the QS Stars System for Excellence in Higher Education and has become one of the top twenty universities in Thailand based on the Webometrics Ranking of World University.[2]

History

The historical development of Mahasarakham University can be traced back to March 27, 1968, when it was established as Mahasarakham College of Education for strengthening and expanding higher education in the Northeastern region (Isan) of the nation. Located in the outer north area of Maha Sarakham Province, a small town right at the center of the region, the college has been responsible for developing quality educators to serve educational institutions of all levels. In 1974, the college's status was elevated when it became a regional campus of Srinakharinwirot University. At that time, there were four academic faculties: Education, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science.

In 1994, the college gained its statutory status through the Thai Higher Education Act and became Mahasarakham University, the 22nd public university of Thailand[3][4]

Mahasarakham University has since expanded rapidly in academic infrastructure and facilities, and relevant services, and become a comprehensive university, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in three academic clusters: Social Sciences; Pure and Applied Sciences; and Health Sciences. In 1988, Khamriang Campus, known as the New Campus. was set up in Kantarawichai District, approximately seven kilometers from the Old Campus.

With 17 faculties and 2 colleges, the University has been recognized as one of Thailand's fast-growing universities. The total student enrollment has increased from thousands in its earlier years to about 45,000 students in 2010.[5] Many faculty buildings have been constructed on the Khamriang Campus; is now the University's Administrative and Academic Center.

In addition, to extend its academic services to remote communities, the University has had 15 Academic Service Centers in the Northeastern region, and later reorganized into two main centers located in Nakhon Ratchasima Province and Udon Thani Province.[3]

Location

Mahasarakham University is located in Maha Sarakham Province, about 470 kilometers from Bangkok.[6] Geographically, Maha Sarakham Provonce is a vast rolling plain, composed mostly of rice fields with the Chi River flowing through it. Maha Sarakham has a lively atmosphere and offers a wealth of cultural and recreational activities to travelers and visitors.

As a regional "Education Center", Maha Sarakham is also known as "Taxila (or Takshashila) of Isan", (taking this name from a Hindu and Buddhist centre of learning in ancient India). Maha Sarakham throughout its history has always acted as a center of Buddhist wisdom and culture in the region.

Campuses

Mahasarakham University has two green campuses, the Downtown Campus and the Khamriang Campus, to accommodate and provide an eco-friendly environment to its continuing expansion of academic facilities and programs, and the growing population on campus.

Downtown Campus

The original campus of Mahasarakham University, Downtown Campus, also known as the Old Campus (mor gao — Thai: ม.เก่า), is located in the city center. It covers a total area of 368 Rai (145.5 acres). This campus hosts the Faculty of Education, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, and the Institute of Northeastern Arts and Culture.[6]

Khamriang Campus

The Khamriang Campus, known as the New Campus (mor mai — Thai: ม.ใหม่), is located in the north-west of the city of Khamriang District, 7 kilometers away from the city center. This campus with a total area of 1,300 Rai (513.98 acres) hosts new buildings and facilities to serve the educational community and houses the main administrative center and most of the academic faculties, colleges, and research institutes of the university.[6]

Academic Divisions

The University currently has 17 faculties, 2 colleges,[7] and 9 research institutes.[8]

Faculties

Humanities and Social Sciences

Applied Sciences and Technologies

Health Sciences

Colleges

Research Institutes

Degree Programs and Certificates

Regular Degree Programs

International Programs

Two Bachelor of Arts programs (B.A.) and one Bachelor of Business Administration program (B.B.A.):

Rankings

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mahasarakham University.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Mahasarakham University's 2013 Annual Report" (in Thai). www.plan.msu.ac.th/. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  2. ↑ "Ranking Web of Universities". Cybermetrics Lab. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Mahasarakham University - History". Mahasarakham University. 1994-12-08. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  4. ↑ "The Royal Gazette of Thailand, Mahasarakham University, 111 (54 ก): 1–18." (in Thai). The Royal Gazette of Thailand. December 8, 1994. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  5. ↑ "Mahasarakham University - Facts & Figures". Mahasarakham University. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Visits, travel & maps of Mahasarakham". Mahasarakham University. Retrieved 2014-05-03.
  7. ↑ "Colleges and Faculties". Mahasarakham University. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  8. ↑ "Research Centers". Mahasarakham University. Retrieved 2014-05-02.

External links

Coordinates: 16°11′57″N 103°16′59″E / 16.19917°N 103.28306°E