Professor Faridah Pawan has been conferred an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in English Language Studies and Teaching from the National Institute of Development Administration in February. The degree recognizes the collaborative efforts that Pawan led between the IU School of 91福利社and NIDA’s Graduate School of Language and Communication (GSLC), and was conferred by Thailand’s Princess Sirindhorn.
NIDA is Thailand's first graduate school guided by His Majesty Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s vision of advancing Thailand’s development through education. It has been responsible for the training of many of Thailand’s government’s top officials and diplomats. , beginning with a USAID project in 1966 to establish NIDA’s School of Public Administration. IU also helped in the development of sixteen Thai teacher colleges in the 1960s and 1970s, many of which later became comprehensive universities. Following in the steps of active educational engagement, since 2021 the SOE and NIDA have been in partnership on professional development projects as a means to create pathways for educators in crisis and to continue to reskill and upskill in the midst of life defined by interruption and disruption.
“During times of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, it is critical that SOE educators such as myself work alongside and partner with colleagues such as those from NIDA,” Pawan said, adding, “This is so that we can continue the work that can only be achieved in partnership and collaboration with colleagues who not only understand the urgency of teaching and learning in difficult times, but whose lives are embedded in the circumstances and thus see the difference that education can make.”