Higher Education Promotion for Knowledge-Based Economy: A Comparative Study of Brain Korea 21 and Thailand’s National Research Universities

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study South Korea’s agenda for human resource development through nurturing higher education and compare the Brain Korea 21 Project, one of the major higher education development strategies to lead Korea towards a knowledge-based economy, with Thailand’s National Research Universities Project to improve the policies for the development of Thailand’s higher education institutions. The research employed documentary research and interviewed the informants of education in Sought Korea and Thailand. The results showed that Brain Korea 21 Project is an example of the South Korea’s Government strategy to nurture research universities to meet the demand of high quality human resources. It also greatly improved development of excellence human resources, and in turn enhanced the capacities of the universities while Thailand’s National Research Universities Project represents an effort to promote university research and strengthen the research capacity of university academics and staff to enhance country’s competitiveness.