the local community in pursuing sustainable economy and society through

1.3 University anti-poverty programmes

1.4.1 Does your university as a body provide assistance in the local community supporting the start-up of financially and socially sustainable businesses through relevant education or resources? (e.g. mentorship programmes, training workshops, access to university facilities)?

☑  Free

☑  Paid

Evidence 1

VRU has assisted the local community in pursuing sustainable economy and society through the Integrated Sub-district Economic and Social Upgrading Project (U2T) in 16 sub-districts of Pathum Thani province, 14 sub-districts of Sa Kaeo province and 18 sub-districts of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, totaling 48 sub-districts; and through the projects under the Rajabhat strategy for local development in 4 sub-districts of of ​​Pathum Thani province and 5 sub-districts of Sa Kaeo Province, totaling 9 sub-districts.

All of these 57 sub-districts include different projects as shown in the following examples:

1. Developing job skills and creating new jobs (i.e. upgrading OTOP products/other jobs) through new product and community product development projects such as organic PathumThani rice leaf tea with high antioxidants, processing purple sweet potato into purple potato powder, innovation in processing dried noodles products from Eri silkworm proteins, food-seasoning products and chocolate covered silkworms.

Figure 7 The example of projects related to developing job skills and creating new jobs (i.e. upgrading OTOP products/other jobs)

2. Creating and developing the creative economy through enhancing tourism projects such as adding value of Sabai Mon rags by developing the souvenirs from the Thai Raman cultural community, enhancing tourism through developing canopy as community products from the Thai Raman cultural community, creative tourism in Ban Kaeng sub-district community and developing community enterprise in Krachaeng Mee Dee Tourism Community.

Figure 8 Creating and developing creative economy through enhancing tourism projects

3. Bringing academic knowledge to aid community support services (i.e. applying technology in aiding different support services) such as greenhouses for mushroom production, IoT-enabled smart farm, Thai herbal compress and massage oils for health massage, creating social managers to promote physical and mental health for the elderly and vulnerable people and innovating disinfectant spray machine for Covid-19.

Figure 9 Bringing academic knowledge to aid community support services

4. Promoting the environmental responsibility and circular economy (as well as increasing sustainable income for the community) such as using rice straw to produce mushroom bales and using expired mushroom lumps to make compost, zero waste management, community waste management using online databases and turning household wastes into income and making paving blocks and recycled roads of wastes.

Figure 10 Promoting the environmental responsibility and circular economy (increasing sustainable income for the community)

5. Students are encouraged to participate in local community product development projects. The goal is to write a business plan for OTOP products for 5 local communities from 5 teams supported by the university, and 12 local community product development projects (OTOP) supported by VRU Research and Development Institutes

Figure 10 Community product development projects

Table 2 The projects that support local communities to increase their income