News and Opportunities
Strengthening the Australia-Thailand education relationship
18 Oct 2012
Australian-Thai education cooperation is helping to shape Thailand’s education system, with a visit to Thailand by 10 school leaders from the South Australian Department for Education and Child Development during 25–27 September 2012 to provide a teacher training workshop.
The visit was facilitated by Austrade, while the ‘Effective Teaching and Learning Methodologies’ workshop was organised by one of the top private schools in Thailand for its executive staff and primary teachers. The workshop was officiated by the Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, HE James Wise.
The Australian delegation discussed a wide range of topics including:
- information and communication technology in teaching and learning
- new perspectives on teaching and learning in the classroom
- improving student engagement with literature
- teacher quality assurance
- ways to increase efficiency and courtesy in the workplace.
There was also a follow-up for primary teachers who attended work shadowing activities in South Australia last year. These teachers gave a presentation on the implementation of the learning outcomes from their visit, which impressed the Australian delegation.
The visit is an example of ongoing Australian-Thai education cooperation with its emphasis on teacher training programs, an area fundamentally important for developing further education opportunities, including study tour programs and student/teacher exchange programs. Such activities reinforce the excellent cooperation that has been a hallmark of Australian-Thai education relations for many years.
Thailand is currently the seventh largest source country for international student enrolments in the Australian school sector, with 500 Thai student enrolments in the Australian school sector in 2011.
Mr Darryl Carter, International Programs & Business Manager, Department for Education and Child Development (second from left, front row); Dr Anant Prichavudhi, Director of Assumption College (third from left, front row); HE Mr James Wise, Australian Ambassador to Thailand (fourth from left, front row); Mr Greg Wallis, Senior Trade Commissioner and Minister-Counsellor (Commercial) to Thailand, Austrade Bangkok (fifth from left, second row); Ms Busarin Sinthunavarat, Education Manager, Austrade Bangkok (first from left, second row) and the Australian delegation from South Australian Government Schools.