Date: 29 January – 2 February 2024
Venue: Surat Thani Polytechnic College, Surat Thani, Thailand
Organised by: Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) in collaboration with the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC), Ministry of Education, Thailand
Category: News / Training & Capacity Building
Overview
In a joint effort to advance the United Nations’ sustainable development agenda, the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) and the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC), Ministry of Education Thailand, successfully conducted a five-day In-Country Program on Greening TVET for Sustainable Development. Held at Surat Thani Polytechnic College from 29 January to 2 February 2024, the programme brought together 42 college directors, instructors, lecturers, and educators from across Thailand’s technical and vocational education and training sector.
Programme Objectives
The training was designed to equip TVET professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to embed green principles into their institutions and classrooms. By the end of the programme, participants were expected to:
- Understand the concept of Greening TVET and green skills development
- Identify practical tools and techniques for advancing green sustainability within Thai TVET institutions
- Prepare action plans for integrating green skills into their curricula and campus operations
Opening and Special Lecture
The opening ceremony was led by OVEC Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Praphat Rattanaarun and CPSC’s Engr. Dr. Mian Khuram Ahsan, who delivered welcome remarks on behalf of their respective organisations. The programme then opened with a special lecture by Dr. Naranun Khammanee, titled “Greening TVET as an SDG 2030 Strategy: Current Concepts, Practices and Future Agenda”, which set the intellectual and strategic framing for the days ahead.
Training Activities
Delivered in a blended format — combining face-to-face sessions with virtual participation — the five-day programme featured a rich mix of lectures, theme papers, and hands-on workshops. Facilitators included Dr. Siripan Choomnoom, Prof. Wickramasinghe, Dr. Prapon Viraponsawan, Dr. Naranun Khammanee, and Engr. Dr. Ahsan.
Workshop sessions guided participants through practical analytical frameworks, including:
- SWOT Analysis of the Green TVET Institute Environment
- PESTEL Analysis for identifying greening challenges across campuses
- Development of action plans for integrating green skills into TVET institutes in Thailand
Theme paper presentations by Engr. Dr. Ahsan, Dr. Thongprim, and Dr. Thepmondhri provided further depth on green skills policy and implementation.
National Seminar on Greening Skills
A highlight of the programme was the National Seminar on Greening Skills for Sustainable Development, held on 31 January 2024. Conducted in blended mode, the seminar featured five sessions facilitated by leading experts, followed by a moderated question-and-answer panel discussion — providing participants with a platform to engage directly with practitioners and policymakers.
Field Visit
To complement classroom learning, participants visited local sites in Surat Thani Province, including Bang Bai Mai Subdistrict and Wat Than Nam Lai (Mokkhaplaram Park), offering first-hand exposure to community-level sustainability and environmental conservation in action.
Closing and Outcomes
The programme concluded with a closing ceremony led by Dr. Thongprim and Prof. Wickramasinghe, who reflected on the programme’s impact and encouraged participants to carry forward their action plans. A programme summary was presented by Engr. Dr. Ahsan, and two participants were selected to share their feedback and insights. All participants received certificates of participation.
Why It Matters
CPSC, as an inter-governmental organisation, and OVEC, as a leader in TVET in Thailand, aim to support the UN agenda through programmes for sustainable development — raising awareness and providing the skills and values to implement sustainable development across TVET systems.
The Greening TVET programme is part of a broader commitment to aligning Thailand’s vocational education sector with the SDGs, and supporting TVET institutions in adopting climate-friendly operations, green curricula, and pedagogical approaches that champion environmental responsibility. It also connects directly to Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model, which positions the country as a regional leader in sustainability-driven development — a vision that demands a green-skilled workforce at every level.
Read the original programme report on the [CPSC website](https://www.cpsctech.org/2024/02/cpsc-ovec-jointly-conduct-in-country.html).