Three KKU Deans Announce Five National Quality Awards for 2025 Landmark Achievement Underscores University’s Commitment to World-Class Standards

Khon Kaen University celebrates a remarkable achievement as three of its faculties have been awarded a total of five National Quality Awards for 2025. The results were announced by the Thailand Productivity Institute, the official body for the National Quality Awards, during the 24th annual event. The formal awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on 26 February 2026 at the Makkhawan Rangsan Ballroom, Royal Thai Army Club, in Bangkok.

This year, two organisations received the top Thailand Quality Award (TQA), four were recognised with the Thailand Quality Class Plus (TQC Plus) award for specific areas of excellence, and eight earned the Thailand Quality Class (TQC) award. Khon Kaen University secured five of these accolades across three faculties:  

Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University

  • Thailand Quality Class Plus: People
  • Leadership Excellence Award

Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University

  • Thailand Quality Class Plus: Operation
  • Leadership Excellence Award

Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Khon Kaen University

  • Thailand Quality Class (TQC)

The deans of the three faculties shared their pride and the inspiration behind this success, emphasising the collaborative spirit of their staff in driving their organizations toward excellence.   

Faculty of Engineering: Striving to Be a ‘World-Class Faculty for Everyone’ 

Assoc. Prof. Ratchaphon Suntivarakorn, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, revealed that the faculty began implementing the Education Criteria for Performance Excellence (EdPEx) in 2019. It established a strategic vision to become a “World-Class Faculty of Engineering for Everyone” and systematically enhanced its management systems across education and its four core missions.

“The TQC Plus: People award reflects our strength in human resource development and confirms that our organisational development approach has been on the right path,” said the Dean. “We believe that excellence has no end, and we will continue to advance the university’s mission to support the sustainable development of our local communities and the nation.”

Faculty of Dentistry: Elevating Organisational Quality to International Standards 

Asst. Prof. Ajiravudh Subarnbhesaj, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, stated, “The National Quality Award criteria have been an essential tool in shaping our organizational culture, promoting engagement at all levels, and driving continuous improvements in education, research, academic services, and digital transformation.”

He added that the faculty is committed to creating knowledge and health innovations for sustainable social development while striving to become an organisation with an internationally recognised, world-class management system.

Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts: Creating Sustainable Value Through Systematic Development 

Assoc. Prof. Burin Plengdeesakul, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, commented that the award criteria have been instrumental in fostering systematic organizational development. This has enabled the faculty to design curricula and services that effectively meet the needs of students and stakeholders.

“As a result of our continuous development, our staff have enhanced their competencies and deepened their engagement with the organisation,” he explained. “Concurrently, the faculty’s revenue and stakeholder satisfaction levels have shown consistent growth. We now aim to achieve global standards in the future.”

A Benchmark of Global Excellence The National Quality Award of Thailand is based on the same assessment process as the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award of the United States, a globally recognised benchmark for organizational excellence adopted by many countries. Organizations scoring over 750 points receive the prestigious TQA: Global Excellence award, with other awards conferred based on predetermined scoring thresholds.   

This collective achievement reflects the progress made under Khon Kaen University’s strategic agenda for Organisational Excellence. It demonstrates a sustained commitment to internationally aligned management systems, impactful research and innovation, and the cultivation of high-quality human capital.

These five awards stand not only as honours for the respective faculties but also as tangible evidence of Khon Kaen University’s steadfast dedication to systematic organisational development and its ongoing journey towards becoming a world-class university that generates meaningful value for society.

 

 Watch the awards ceremony replay here

News: Benjamaporn Mamook 

Information/Photos: Thailand Productivity Institute  / Nattavut Charuwong

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