On Friday, July 12, 2023, Walailak University’s Center for Digital Technology convened a stakeholder meeting to collectively determine the direction and develop a digital strategy for the university from 2025 to 2028. The meeting specifically focused on gathering input from the staff of the Center for Digital Technology.

Assistant Professor Dr. Thimaporn Phetkaew, Acting Director of the Center for Digital Technology, welcomed the attendees, while Assistant Professor Dr. Nichanan Kittipattanabawon, Assistant Vice President, delivered a report on the proceedings.

During the meeting, both academic and non-academic staff provided valuable insights. Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanawong emphasized the critical role of a digital strategy in transforming the university into a digitally-enabled institution capable of adapting to the rapidly evolving digital landscape. The university’s digital vision, as outlined by Professor Sombat, involves enhancing infrastructure, leveraging technology to support all operations, especially teaching and learning, fostering innovation, and data-driven decision-making. Additionally, the university aims to equip students and staff with essential digital skills to navigate the technological advancements effectively.

Professor Sombat further highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing education, assessment, and overall operational efficiency. AI can be harnessed for data analysis, trend forecasting, and strategic decision-making.

Assistant Professor Dr. Nichanan provided an overview of the university’s previous four-year digital development plan (2020-2024) and underscored the need to build upon this foundation. The new digital strategy will focus on transforming the university into a smart campus encompassing various aspects, including smart IT infrastructure, organization, learning, classrooms, life and health, hospitals, transportation, security, green initiatives, and farming.

To ensure a comprehensive and inclusive strategy, the university has organized a series of stakeholder meetings across different departments and groups, including administrators, faculty, staff, students, and the Center for Digital Technology. The goal is to gather diverse perspectives and develop a strategy that aligns with the university’s overall objectives.

The meeting for the Center for Digital Technology staff, with a total of 47 participants, aimed to set the direction for the university’s digital transformation. The discussions focused on enhancing infrastructure, technology, digital skills, and the integration of AI into various operations.