KKU Welcomes MSU Delegation to Share Integrated Strategic Planning Techniques

14 January 2026
16:32

Khon Kaen University shares its modern, integrated strategic management approach, driving the organisation towards sustained excellence.

On 14 January 2026, the Strategy Division, Office of the President, Khon Kaen University (KKU), extended a warm welcome to a visiting delegation from Mahasarakham University (MSU). The delegation was participating in a capacity-building training programme titled “Strategic Planners and Unit Quality Assessors for Driving Strategic Plans into Practice.”

The MSU delegation, comprising 45 trainees, was led by Professor Anongrit Kangrang, Ph.D., Vice President for Policy and Planning at Mahasarakham University.

Providing the welcome and sharing KKU’s extensive experience were Assistant Professor Tala Thammaroj, M.D., Vice President for Administration at Khon Kaen University, accompanied by Mr. Phattharasak Thammasirirak, Director of the Strategy Division; Mr. Anupol Mumthong, Head of the Plan and Evaluation Section; and Mrs. Janphen Mahamat, Head of the Budget Planning Section. The session took place in Meeting Room 2, Office of the President, Khon Kaen University.

The site visit was an integral component of the 80-hour capacity building training programme, which ran from 31 August to 23 December 2025. Mahasarakham University organised this programme to develop the performance of its associate deans and deputy directors in strategic planning, budget preparation, and driving the organisation towards excellence. KKU was selected as a benchmark institution due to its highly efficient management systems and its recognised success in achieving organisational excellence.

Assistant Professor Tala Thammaroj, M.D., Vice President for Administration at Khon Kaen University, welcomed the delegation and shared KKU’s experience in developing its strategic planning framework. He remarked, “Over the past four to five years, Khon Kaen University has significantly restructured its planning process to accommodate the rapid changes occurring globally, particularly geopolitical and geo-economic factors impacting the university’s direction. We have shifted from relying on the traditional SWOT tool to utilising the Foresight Tool, which enables us to better forecast trends and prepare for future changes. Furthermore, we revised our indicator setting system. Instead of assigning identical metrics to all units, we adopted Objectives and Key Results (OKR). This approach compels each unit to focus on only one to four of the most critical key results, making our work more efficient and goal-oriented.”

Professor Anongrit Kangrang, Ph.D., Vice President for Policy and Planning at Mahasarakham University, explained the objectives of the visit. “Mahasarakham University prioritises the development of our middle management’s potential, as they are crucial forces in translating policy and strategy into practical execution. This training course aims to enhance their understanding of strategic planning, integrated budget management, and quality assessment based on the EdPEx Criteria. Khon Kaen University was chosen as a benchmark institution for this visit because of its excellent management system, innovative and modern planning processes, and efficient responsiveness to change. We hope the knowledge and experience gained today will assist our trainees in developing their respective units and driving Mahasarakham University towards continued excellence.”

Mr. Phattharasak Thammasirirak, Director of the Strategy Division, Khon Kaen University, presented a detailed overview of the planning mechanisms, policy cascade to personnel, the budget preparation and monitoring system, as well as operational support systems and the Executive Information System (EIS).

He stated, “The Strategy Division’s vision is to promote intelligent strategic management. Our core mission involves analysing and formulating strategic goals, planning resource allocation, monitoring and evaluation, and providing timely information to support executive decision-making.”

“We have developed the Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) system, a platform which allows for real-time indicator monitoring. This enables executives to access data and make swift, accurate decisions. Furthermore, we emphasise integrating the Human Resource plan with the strategic plan from the outset, ensuring the organisation has the right workforce to achieve its goals. Our budget allocation adheres to the principle of Resource Allocation, focusing investment on projects that yield the highest impact. This systematic assessment and prioritisation ensures maximum benefit is derived from our limited resources,” Mr. Phattharasak elaborated.

The visit focused on three core areas: strategic plan development and policy cascading, systems for budget preparation and oversight, and operational support through executive information systems. Participants gained comprehensive insights into advanced strategic planning tools, integrated budget and workforce planning, and effective information management for organisational operations and executive decision-making.