In 2022, NXPO set its sight to drive five missions, ranging from poverty eradication to higher education and research system reform. The following are highlights of eight initiatives.
Mission #1: Bringing Thailand out of middle-income trap
Initiative #1: Creative economy
- NXPO, representing the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, is collaborating with the Ministry of Culture to develop guidelines for integrating art and culture with science, research and innovation to raise an awareness on an interconnection between arts and science, promote the conservation, revitalization and utilization of culture to create social and economic values.
- NXPO in partnership with the Office of Permanent Secretary for Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, conducted a study and proposed policy recommendations for higher education institutions to drive a creative economy. A school specializing in art and culture was proposed to develop manpower to supply to the creative industry and serve as a central body for the conservation and innovation of art and culture.
- Initiative #2: Target industries and innovation-driven enterprises
- NXPO in collaboration with Thailand Development Research Institute conducted a study to identify challenges and opportunities of Thai Innovation List – Thailand’s public procurement of innovation (PPI) policy – and developed a set of recommendations to enhance the program.
- NXPO conducted a study which resulted in the proposal to establish Route 1 Innovation Economic Corridor with the focus on five high potential industries for northern and northeastern regions of Thailand namely agriculture & food, health & wellness, cultural industry, education industry and carbohydrate economy.
Mission #2: Developing high-skill workforce for future industries
Initiative #3: Workforce for target industries
- NXPO in collaboration with Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), the Office of Permanent Secretary for Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, the Council of Science Dean of Thailand, the Council of Engineering Deans of Thailand established a platform to facilitate the matching of workforce demanded by industry and graduates supplied by universities. The platform enables a tailor-made manpower development to meet the requirements of industries.
- NXPO created a system to support the STEM employment and skill development measure under the Thailand Plus Package. In 2022, a total of 540 training course offer by 52 training centers and 1,741 employments in 59 companies were certified. The training courses have benefited more than 15,000 workers employed in 608 companies. In addition, a STEM one-stop service center has been established to provide assistance in training recommendations and STEM employments.
- Talent Utilization Platform for National Talent Pool has been created. The platform contains a database of experts and high-skilled talents in specific industries for organizations and enterprises to utilize for their manpower planning and talent recruitment. In 2022, database of experts in music was added.
Initiative #4: Reinventing higher education system and strengthening higher education institutions
- Higher education sandbox measure was introduced thanks to the joint effort of NXPO and the Office of Permanent Secretary for Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation. In 2022, four new programs were approved for sandbox, aiming to produce 17,455 skilled workers.
- 2023-2027 Strategy has been introduced for universities in the Rajamangala University of Technology system.
- 2023-2027 Strategic Action Plan has been developed for universities in the Rajabhat University system.
Mission #3: Social mobility of the grassroots
Initiative #5: Social mobility and grassroots economy development
- Three models have been developed to reduce social disparity. A workforce upskilling & reskilling model for poverty eradication was tested in Kut Bak Subdistrict, Sakon Nakhon Province; whereas a model applying research, technology and innovation to upgrade local people and businesses was launched in Lai Ngao Subdistrict, Chiang Rai Province. A public-private partnership model for strengthening community and grassroots economy was introduced in Doi Ngam Subdistrict, Chiang Rai Province.
- NXPO in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy developed a proposal to set up the BCG Community Energy Fund aiming to boost the use of alternative energy technology among small communities. It will be a financial source to support communities, value-added aggregators, service providers to launch alternative energy projects.
Mission #4: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10 million tons of carbon
Initiative #6: GHG net zero goal
- A white paper, Circular Economy Innovation Ecosystem 2030, was released. The document contains a set of policy recommendations on strategies, a roadmap, an ecosystem development and seven flagship projects.
- An EV conversion policy was proposed to promote EV conversion industrialization. Interventions such as the public procurement program and public-private partnership in research can greatly boost EV conversion industry in Thailand.
Initiative #7: Water resource management
- NXPO has designed a framework to collect and analyze intelligence for a systems research and recommendations for water resource management options. The study result has been submitted to the committee overseeing the national water resource management.
Mission #5: Reforming higher education, science, research and innovation system
Initiative #8: Budget management system
- A new public organization – the Office of Research and Innovation for Competitiveness and Area-Based Development (Public Organization) – has been proposed to accelerate research and innovation to enhance national competitiveness and area-based development. Its mission is to bolster the competitiveness of Thai manufacturing and service industries, develop future industries and strengthen local community and grassroots economy.
- NXPO in collaboration with King Mongkut’s University of Technology (KMUTT) performed a study and proposed recommendations on demand-side financing in education. The study led to a roadmap for demand-side budgeting which will contributes to education reform effort.
