Academic Affairs

National Defense College: A Name Full of Power

National Defense College (NDC) was established on February 2, 1955, and is currently an administrative entity directly under the National Defense Studies Institute. Its primary role is to provide high-level academic knowledge related to national defense to senior officials in both the military and civilian sectors, state enterprise employees, as well as executives from the private sector and political leaders. The goal is to create knowledge and understanding regarding national strategies and to foster a collective responsibility for the national security of Thailand, while also striving to develop the country for continuous progress.

The college offers three main programs: the National Defense Program, the Public-Private Partnership National Defense Program, and the National Defense Program for Government, Private Sector, and Political Leaders.

The educational management of National Defense College differs from that of typical higher education institutions. It combines postgraduate-level education with seminars and discussions to reach consensus among senior executives. The College oversees and manages the educational environment in line with its goals, guided by the National Defense College Council (NDC Council), which functions like a university council, providing advice and overseeing the institution's operations. The Minister of Defense serves as the Chairperson of the NDC Council.

Since its inception, the NDC has seen a consistently high number of applicants each year, far exceeding its capacity, reflecting the trust and faith people have in the institution. It is often said that "the year you are an NDC student is the best year of your life."

The name "NDC" carries significant weight and influence. Whether it becomes stronger or fades depends on the faculty, staff, and everyone involved, who must continuously learn and adapt to the changing educational environment and methodologies. The college must continue to build on its solid foundation from the past to ensure future success.

Challenges in Modern Education Management

For over 58 years, National Defense College has become a leader in national strategy education, with a focus on key areas such as politics, economics, social psychology, military, science, technology, energy, natural resources, and the environment. A key outcome of this education is the development of national strategies, which are regularly presented to the Prime Minister.

However, the traditional methods of education and expertise are no longer sufficient in the age of globalization, where knowledge and information evolve rapidly. Different areas of knowledge must now be integrated into interdisciplinary approaches. Students must develop both knowledge and skills, with an emphasis on leadership at the strategic level. This includes the ability to think critically, analyze situations, make decisions, and possess a global perspective. Students must also be able to search for, gather, preserve, and distribute knowledge and apply it appropriately in various situations.

Additionally, the modern challenge is to foster attitudes of responsibility, self-awareness, and social and national responsibility. In today's world, teamwork skills are crucial, especially in Thailand's context, where collaboration across various sectors is essential.

Students at National Defense College must learn how to work with individuals from different professions, nationalities, languages, and cultures. Therefore, the college's educational standards must be recognized internationally.

In his book The Skills of the New Future: Education for the 21st Century, Alan November explains that we are entering an era where students will increasingly take control of their own learning. Teachers will no longer just pass on knowledge; they will guide students to prepare for independent learning, teamwork, and collaboration. This reflects Will Richardson's ideas that learning will become more personalized and interactive, as students increasingly control their own learning, which aligns with the new approach to education in the 21st century.

The Role of Information Technology in Education

One key aspect of the new educational approach is the need for appropriate information technology. Students must be able to access essential information, such as schedules, academic calendars, and resources, as well as exchange ideas, provide feedback, and track their progress.

National Defense College, which has been operating for over 58 years, is quietly being challenged by the new educational paradigms, which could significantly affect the quality of NDC students if not addressed. The college has started developing a new learning environment by integrating information technology into its educational processes.

Educational Management System (Learning Solution)

The concept of developing an educational management system stems from the challenges of modern education. Given the large volume of work the NDC handles, with nearly 300 students each year, the need for an improved system is critical. When comparing the NDC’s structure with similar institutions, it is clear that the NDC has a significantly higher student-to-staff ratio.

To address this, the NDC has begun to upgrade its internal network and develop an educational management system, known as Learning Solution. This system will improve efficiency in managing the academic processes of the NDC.

Learning Solution consists of four main areas:

1.      Student and Alumni Information Management

2.      Education Management

3.      Academic Information Management

4.      Administrative Support

These areas will help manage the educational process, including the scheduling of classes, invitations to speakers, seminars, academic writing, national strategy development, and scenario training simulations. The system will allow students to access real-time data about their courses, track their progress, and submit reports directly through the system.

Student and Alumni Information Management involves creating a database for NDC students, including personal information, education, skills, and interests. This data is collected via online forms and can be used to organize student activities and academic progress. When students graduate, their information will be stored for future use in networking, such as gathering alumni with expertise in key national issues.

Education Management includes activities like creating academic calendars, scheduling courses, and organizing seminars and discussions. The Learning Solution system will allow all this to be managed efficiently, providing real-time data for both students and faculty.

Academic Information Management will digitize the reports and research produced by NDC students, making it easier to store, search, and distribute knowledge. This system will ensure that the NDC remains a center of learning for national security expertise.

Conclusion

National Defense College is working towards developing a new educational management system (Learning Solution) to address the challenges of modern education. With strong support from alumni, the system is already in the trial phase and is expected to be fully operational by the academic year 2016-2017. The NDC is committed to continuously improving its educational framework to stay ahead of global educational trends and to ensure that it remains a key institution for national security education in the future.ต่อไป