The initiative aims to enhance understanding of updated regulations and support academic staff in effectively advancing their career paths.

Khon Kaen University (KKU), through its Human Resources Division, is driving academic excellence forward by launching a comprehensive career advancement programme for academic staff. The first phase of this initiative, titled “HOW TO Correctly Enter the Academic Position Application Process”, focuses on fostering a clear understanding of the newly revised rules and regulations while systematically supporting teaching staff to achieve higher academic ranks with maximum efficiency.

The professional development event for academic personnel was organised on 16 June 2026 at Convention Room 2, 2nd Floor, Avani Khon Kaen Hotel & Convention Centre. Assistant Professor Pattarawit Polpinit, Ph.D., Vice President for Human Resources, presided over the opening ceremony and served as a keynote speaker. The event was specifically designed to equip university personnel with up-to-date knowledge regarding the current procedures, guidelines, and criteria for academic rank submissions, alongside insights into future evaluation trends, ensuring all submissions accurately align with official approval standards.

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Assistant Professor Polpinit highlighted the critical importance of the programme in relation to the university’s strategic vision, noting that Khon Kaen University prioritises advancing towards international academic excellence, with its academic and research staff serving as the main driving force for innovation.

“This programme has been established to create robust mechanisms and opportunities conducive to potential development, the production of high-quality research, and the boosting of morale, enabling our personnel to achieve sustainable career growth,” the Vice President stated. He further emphasised that the Human Resources Division aims to significantly reduce technical errors in document preparation, thereby accelerating the submission process and enhancing overall administrative efficiency.

The event featured an insightful panel discussion on “Knowledge of Current Criteria, Regulations, and Methods for Submitting Academic Position Requests” led by the executive team of the Human Resources Division. This was followed by a special forum on “The Trajectory of Academic Position Evaluations: From Present to Future”, which featured distinguished experts and professors, including Professor Somchart Soponronnarit, Professor Emeritus Dr. Peerasak Srinives, and Professor Emeritus Dr. Atchara Chandrachai. These prominent scholars shared invaluable experiences and practical guidelines on how to produce academic work that aligns precisely with regulatory standards. In the afternoon, participants broke into discipline-specific parallel sessions covering Health Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Specialised Academic Positions. These sessions focused on drawing inspiration from accomplished peers and building essential networks for international research publication.

This career and research advancement initiative for academic personnel is structured into three consecutive phases to ensure sustainable professional growth and enable staff to contribute fully to organisational development:

• Phase 1 (16 June 2026): Lectures focusing on the trajectory of academic rank evaluations from the present to the future, comprehensive briefings on current rules and submission procedures, and panel discussions on quality preparation. This phase also aimed to inspire faculty members through success stories of peers with globally recognised and widely published academic portfolios.

• Phase 2 (17 June 2026): In-depth workshops regarding current regulatory frameworks and the hands-on preparation of application dossiers. This session ensures that participants thoroughly understand how to submit applications efficiently, accurately, and in strict accordance with the standards mandated by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation’s Teacher Civil Service and Educational Personnel Commission (OTEPC) and the University.

• Phase 3 (19 June 2026): Collaborative knowledge-sharing sessions held in conjunction with the International Affairs Division, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Business Administration and Accountancy, and the International College. This phase focuses on developing internationalised regulations, forms, and procedural guidelines to communicate effectively with international staff, thereby eliminating language barriers and minimising discrepancies during data entry and documentation.