The initiative aims to empower new faculty members, foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, and drive the university towards global excellence.

           Khon Kaen University has officially launched its “KKU New Faculty Development 2026: Empowering New Faculty Members towards the Future” workshop series. In today’s dynamic global landscape, higher education institutions serve as vital engines for economic, social, and national progress. Consequently, modern faculty members face heightened expectations to possess both deep academic expertise and alignment with institutional values. Recognizing this necessity, the university management tasked the Human Resources Division with organizing this foundational workshop for the 2026 fiscal year.

           The opening ceremony was presided over by Associate Professor Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University, who delivered the keynote speech and shared his strategic vision. The President emphasized that new faculty members represent the institution’s future and serve as essential drivers of organizational progress. He noted that higher education institutions must undergo a profound transformation, requiring academic staff to transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries. By doing so, they can evolve into effective agents of change who embody the core values, culture, and strategic direction of the university.

           “This project represents a comprehensive effort to elevate the professional efficiency of our academic staff,” Associate Professor Panthongviriyakul stated. “It equips them with advanced pedagogy to meet the needs of modern learners and fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration to generate research and innovations that solve real-world societal issues.”

           The President also stressed the critical importance of research integrity and human research ethics as fundamental standards for new researchers, while expressing gratitude to the guest speakers for contributing to an initiative destined to position the university at the forefront of the global academic arena.

          Assistant Professor Pattarawit Polpinit, Ph.D., Vice President for Human Resources, reported on the strategic objectives of the programme. He explained that the initiative was designed as a central platform to connect new faculty members across diverse disciplines. The programme focuses on three primary goals: fostering institutional pride and cultural alignment, introducing modern learning paradigms for effective curriculum design, and establishing academic networks for collaborative research. Additionally, the workshop integrates modules on work-life balance and personal well-being to ensure faculty members can sustain their responsibilities effectively.

            The programme has attracted 80 new faculty members from various faculties. The organizers structured the development curriculum into two intensive phases:

• Phase 1 (20–23 May 2026): An on-campus orientation focused on institutional integration and instructional capacity-building. Activities included team-based learning, the “KKU Vision & Spirit” ice-breaking sessions, and training on advanced teaching methodologies and modern educational tools.

• Phase 2 (11 June 2026): A specialized segment dedicated to research and innovation creation. This phase emphasizes high-value innovation, research integrity, and international compliance standards for human subject research.

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            The inaugural day commenced on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, at Meeting Room 2201 on the second floor of the Institute for Research and Development in Teaching Profession for ASEAN. Assistant Professor Athipong Pathanapornprasert, M.D., Assistant to the President for Human Resources, delivered a foundational lecture entitled “Learning Paradigms and the Draft KKU Professional Standards Framework (KKU PSF)”, offering key insights into institutional professional standards.

           This was followed by the “KKU Family Bonding” workshop, a collaborative session where participants were divided into multidisciplinary teams representing the university’s three core academic clusters. Led by a team of human resource development specialists—including Mr. Chaimanoo Kunok from the KKU Human Resources Division, Mr. Worapong Thongphut from the Faculty of Medicine, Mr. Wuttipong Pathumwan from the Khon Kaen Children and Family Shelter, and Mr. Pongsiri Kongsaensee from Bangkok Hospital Khon Kaen—the workshop facilitated positive engagement and laid the groundwork for a robust professional network.

            Khon Kaen University remains confident that the “KKU New Faculty Development 2026” programme serves as a crucial foundation for nurturing academic talent. By equipping new faculty members with modern pedagogical skills, cross-disciplinary research capabilities, and strong collaborative networks, the university is successfully preparing its next generation of educators to drive the institution toward sustainable global excellence.