Responding to Higher Education Change through the Lens of Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC): the Case of Autonomous Public Universities in Thailand

Abstract

Due to changes in the economic, political and educational landscape in Thailand over the past 15 years, higher education institutions are being mandated to shift from fully public, civil service entities to autonomous, quasi-public universities that require significant management changes. This research considers the likely challenges associated with future educational impacts and utilizes a case study at the College of Arts, Media and Technology, Chiang Mai University to show the current ‘as-is’ and desired ‘to-be’ management scenarios. The paper investigates potential solutions through the lens of a Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC) framework to facilitate sustainability within Thailand’s affiliated universities. While the management challenges of higher education are specific to individual faculties and universities, the case study presented in this paper acts as a microcosm of Thailand’s higher education challenges. The aim of this paper is to promote discussion and consideration of the likely challenges and solutions to Thailand’s changing higher education.