Songkhla, Thailand – On September 29-30, 2025, a collaborative effort between Khon Kaen University (KKU), Prince of Songkla University (PSU), and Chiang Mai University (CMU) culminated in the successful organization of the second “Social Return on Investment (SROI) Practitioner Workshop.” The event, held at the Learning Resources Center (LRC1) at Prince of Songkla University, aimed to enhance the capabilities of personnel in economic and social impact assessment and elevate the standards of SROI evaluation.
Khon Kaen University was represented by Prof. Thidarut Boonmars, D.V.M., Ph.D., Vice President for Enterprise and Societal Sustainability, alongside other executives and staff. This workshop falls under the “3 Powers for the Land” collaborative framework, uniting the three prominent universities.
The opening ceremony was graced by Associate Professor Dr. Tanit Chalermyanont, PSU’s Vice President for Planning and Finance, who welcomed participants and underscored the importance of inter-university cooperation in driving SROI assessment. Assistant Professor Dr. Jumpon Chuenjitsiri, PSU’s Vice President for Legal and Academic Services, officially opened the workshop, outlining plans to expand the “SROI Platform” to elevate social value assessment standards nationwide.
Over the two-day program, participants delved into the principles, theories, and processes of SROI assessment. The curriculum covered an introduction to SROI, evaluation steps, stakeholder identification, outcome analysis, defining indicators and impact targets, and calculating social impact value. Expert facilitators from all three universities led the sessions. Attendees also had the opportunity to test the SROI Platform, a product of the “3 Powers for the Land” collaboration, and engage in workshops to exchange case studies and share experiences in SROI evaluation, fostering practical knowledge application.
This tripartite university collaboration is driven by a shared commitment to advancing sustainable development goals (SDGs). Specifically, it targets promoting quality education (SDG 4), fostering economic growth and decent work (SDG 8), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), building transparent and standardized management systems (SDG 16), and strengthening partnerships for the goals (SDG 17). These SDGs form the bedrock of sustainable national development. KKU, PSU, and CMU prioritize comprehensive economic and social impact assessment at all levels. The outcomes of this workshop are expected to systematize evaluation processes, enabling their practical application in policy-making and development, thereby contributing positively and sustainably to Thai society in the long term.
