Joint formulation of poverty policies at the local community level
1.4 Community anti-poverty programmes
1.4.4 Does your university as a body participate in policy making at local, regional, national and/or global level to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions?
☑ local
☑ regional
☑ national
☑ global
Evidence
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Local Community Level
VRU has conducted the local and community operations and project implementation under the cooperative framework of government and local government organisations at all times. Each project is initiated by meeting and discussing with the district chief who is responsible for a particular area to gain an understanding of the current government policies in that area and jointly formulate relevant policies for both parties to end poverty. After that, the university will coordinate with the local administrative organisations, sub-district headmen and village headmen to set goals for further collaborative work. The ultimate aim is to develop sustainable local communities.
Figure 14 A joint formulation of poverty policies at the local community level
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Regional Level and provincial level
VRU has conducted operations for enhancing the quality of life of local communities under the leadership of Asst. Prof. Dr. Supot Saikaew, President of VRU, along with Vice President and the Governors of Pathum Thani and Sa Kaeo Provinces by introducing a new strategy for local development, according to His Majesty the King’s policy. This is linked to the provincial development strategy by collaboratively driving operations to improve the quality of life of the local community and as well as developing learning centres in accordance with the philosophy of a sufficiency economy.
Figure 15 A joint formulation of poverty policy at the regional level and the provincial level
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National Level
VRU is a Rajabhat University that brings His Majesty the King’s educational policy for local development. There is participation from 38 Rajabhat Universities and the Presidents of all Rajabhat Universities held regular meetings to discuss and emphasise on utilising academic knowledge to enhance the development of local communities and improve the quality of life as well as improving the quality of education of students in local schools and the graduates to have professional expertise that meets global standards. This incorporates the King’s philosophy as the core concept in pursuing sustainable development. The solution to poverty is operated under Local Development Strategy 1.
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Global Level
VRU has international cooperation with Xi’an University with a commitment to jointly implement VRU Xi’an Community Engagement Project, aiming to comprehensively alleviate poverty in targeted communities as the context of the Xi’an City area in the People’s Republic of China has similar industry, tourism and agriculture characteristics to Pathum Thani and Sa Kaeo provinces which are where both VRU campuses located in. Xi’an University is a higher education institution that plays an important role and acts as a model university for solving the problem of poverty in the targeted communities near campus. Similarly, VRU aims to become a university for local development which has an important mission to drive poverty alleviation projects and improve the quality of life in the local community. This is done by exchanging knowledge on local operations and developing community potential among faculty staff of both universities to be able to drive projects that alleviate poverty and sustainably improve the quality of life of the target communities near both Xi’an and VRU campuses.