Khon Kaen – The joint conference aims to enhance educational quality and strategic institutional management among 12 higher education institutions.
On 2 February 2026, the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts and the Faculty of Architecture at Khon Kaen University (KKU) co-hosted the Network Seminar for Higher Education Institutions in Architecture, Fine Arts, and Design. The seminar was dedicated to developing educational quality and achieving academic excellence. Held at the Theatre of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Khon Kaen University, the event saw the participation of over 200 executives, faculty members, and staff from 12 institutions and 16 faculties within the network. The atmosphere was formal and charged with the energy of academic collaboration. The event was scheduled to run from 2 to 3 February 2026.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Associate Professor Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., the President of Khon Kaen University. In his opening address, President Panthongviriyakul stated, “This powerful collaboration among the higher education network in architecture, fine arts, and design is not merely an exchange of knowledge, but rather the creation of a strategic cooperative system aimed at sustainably elevating educational quality towards excellence. Khon Kaen University is confident that working together—based on quality standards, systematic management, and continuous collective learning—will steer the network towards concrete development and create results that benefit the nation in the long term.”
Associate Professor Burin Plengdeesakul, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Khon Kaen University, reported on the objectives of the event and welcomed the network partners. He noted, “This meeting marks the 12th time the network has convened, reflecting the strength and continuity of cooperation among higher education institutions in architecture, fine arts, and design. This round of knowledge exchange focuses on developing organisational management systems in line with educational quality criteria, specifically the Education Criteria for Performance Excellence (EdPEx) and the Thailand Quality Award (TQC), to enhance the potential of each institution to effectively respond to societal and global changes.”
Following the opening ceremony, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony was held among the deans of the participating network institutions. This reflected a joint commitment to driving the development of educational quality, research, and organisational management towards standards of excellence.
The institutions and faculties participating in the conference included:
- Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Khon Kaen University
- Faculty of Architecture, Khon Kaen University
- Faculty of Fine Arts, Chiang Mai University
- Faculty of Architecture, Chiang Mai University
- Faculty of Fine Arts and Architecture, Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna
- Faculty of Architecture, Arts and Design, Naresuan University
- Faculty of Humanities, Naresuan University
- Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Thaksin University
- Faculty of Fine Arts, Prince of Songkla University (Pattani Campus)
- Faculty of Fine Arts, Srinakharinwirot University
- Faculty of Architecture, Prince of Songkla University (Pattani Campus)
- Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Thammasat University
- Faculty of Music and Performing Arts, Burapha University
- Faculty of Applied Arts and Architecture, Ubon Ratchathani University
- Faculty of Architecture, Urban Planning, and Creative Arts, Mahasarakham University
- Faculty of Architecture and Environmental Design, Maejo University
During the morning academic session, Assistant Professor Ratchada Chaichit, D.D.S., Ph.D., Associate Dean for Strategy, Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University, delivered a special lecture entitled “EdPEx Canvas: The Pathway to Organisational Excellence (From Real Experience to Practice)”, sharing practical insights on the systematic application of EdPEx criteria for organisational development.
The afternoon featured a forum for exchanging experiences in managing organisations towards excellence. Assistant Professor Raweewat Thaicharoen, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Thaksin University, presented guidelines for developing educational quality according to the EdPEx criteria, while Associate Professor Burin Plengdeesakul, Ph.D., presented management guidelines aligned with the Thailand Quality Award (TQC). Both presentations garnered significant attention and stimulated extensive discussion.
The first day of the seminar successfully highlighted the collective strength and shared commitment of the academic network in architecture, fine arts, and design to jointly advance educational quality, underpinned by systematic management, academic collaboration, and sustainable networking.
