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Zone 3: “Mahidol” – On the Path to Excellence

Zone 2 Originally Established as "University of Medical Science"

Zone 3 "Mahidol"-On the Path to Excellence

Zone 3: “Mahidol” – On the Path to Excellence

The zone features development through the period of educational expansion starting with the submission for His Majesty’s permission to use the name Mahidol, the Prince Father’s name, and the royal permission granted in 1969. Mahidol University Salaya Campus was subsequently established to serve as the institution’s centre as well as the centre of Mahidol Community. Also featured are its political role in the incidents of 14th October, 1973 and 6th October, 1976, the establishment of several faculties in the fields of science and social sciences and the progress on the path to academic excellence coupled with the move to upgrade quality of life on campus.

Mahidol on the Path to Excellence

This board covers the history of Mahidol University starting from the submission for His Majesty’s permission to use the name “Mahidol” for the university to the present time when it becomes a full-scale university with faculties featuring all fields of studies, both in science and social sciences. It also recounts Mahidol students’ political participation during the incidents of 14th October, 1973 and 6th October, 1976 as well as the development of the university as it progresses on the path to excellence.

Becoming “Mahidol”

Following the establishment of the Graduate School of the University of Medical Science in 1964, the university’s administrative and academic staff was granted an audience with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej to report on the university’s affairs and request the royal permission to use “Mahidol”, the Prince Father’s name, as the university’s name. His Majesty graciously consented but advised that the university should first undertake to improve and expand its scope of teaching befitting a “full-scale university”. In complying with the royal advice, the university moved to establish the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities to offer courses in various areas of social science in order to complement the existing medical and public health programmes. It was not until 1969 that His Majesty the King granted approval to change the name of the university from “The University of Medical Science” to “Mahidol University”. On 1st March of the same year, the Mahidol University Act was passed and the resolution announced in the Government Gazette. Thus, Mahidol University has since adopted March 2nd, the next day, as its Foundation Day.

The Founding of Salaya Campus

After the change of the university’s name to Mahidol University, the Princess Mother in her capacity as President of Mahidol University’s Promotion Committee suggested that the university draw up a plan to accommodate a larger number of students in line with the policy to augment the scope of education. However, since the faculties of Mahidol University were scattered over several areas and due to the space limitation problem prevailing at the time, the university was compelled to expand to suburban areas on the condition that the location of the university must not be too far from Bangkok. The committee finally decided on the piece of land under the auspices of the Crown Property Bureau located at Salaya Sub-district, Phutthamonthon District, Nakhon Pathom Province, due to its large size and close vicinity to Bangkok, and started the negotiation to acquire it. Thanks to the Princess Mother’s gracious assistance, the Crown Property Bureau agreed to sell the land at the rate of only 10,000 baht per rai. All parties concerned at Mahidol University thus remain grateful to her to this very day.

A Comprehensive University

The extension of the education project to Salaya Campus covered the purposes both on physical and technical purposes in order to support larger number of students. Since Salaya Campus contained a broad area and suitable atmosphere, the university allocated the area in accordance with utility. Besides, the landscape was adjusted by planting more trees to create shade and livable atmosphere in the campus. As for the technical purposes, scope of the education was extended from scientific branch to social science, including the extension to physical challenging people and foreign students. Moreover, the new scientific faculties and agencies were established. The broad extension caused Mahidol University to become a comprehensive university and it was ready to create qualified personnel for developing country afterwards.

On the Path to Academic Excellence “Wisdom of the Land”

Based on His Majesty the King’s wish to see the University of Medical Science become a comprehensive university under the name “Mahidol University” that turns out graduates “the wisdom of the land”, Mahidol University established more faculties to extensively cover the scientific and social science disciplines with the objectives to upgrade Thai people’s quality of life along with Rajasuda College to provide higher-educational opportunity for the disabled and develop them to become quality citizens. Moreover, the university gives priority to Thai people’s spiritual health and well-being through the establishment of the College of Music. Besides, it has extended educational opportunity to other regions by establishing three additional campuses in Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Sawan and Amnat Charoen Provinces, respectively. These undertakings have enhanced Mahidol University’s broad, comprehensive and international scope of operations. At present, it has a total of 17 faculties and over 20 academic and research units, capable of turning out over 5,000 graduates annually, and has been consecutively ranked as the best university in Thailand.

Green Campus: Quality Living at a Green University

The concept of “Dream Residential University: Livable in an Enticing Atmosphere” led to the university’s project to create for the students an atmosphere of learning from nature and the community with the aim to produce high-calibre human resource with a heart of gold. This gave rise to the “Green Campus” Project which focused on landscape improvement with emphasis on nature and harmonious co-existence with the surrounding communities. The Green Campus Project is based on the five-fold approach outlined in the university’s Five-Year Master Plan (2008-2012) as follows:

1. The green area within the university premises must occupy no less than 70% of its total space.

2. Reduction of car traffic zones by one half, with pedestrian walkways or bicycle lanes occupying the other half.

3. Provision of learning areas for students to study nature and the environment.

4. Promotion of the university’s outreach and interaction with the surrounding communities.

5. Physical development must entail participation from all parties of the university.

Based on the abovementioned approach, Mahidol University Salaya Campus has implemented its physical development to boost its students’ spiritual health and well-being and allow them to immerse themselves in the learning atmosphere throughout their study programmes. The Green Campus Project comprises several subsidiary projects that have been implemented, for example, the replacement of traffic space by walking streets, introduction of trams, tree planting project, recycled waste bank project and dogs’ house project to train stray dogs.

White Bikes at Salaya

The Salaya Public Bike Project originates from the problem of bicycles being abandoned at student dormitories. These bicycles are collected for repair, painted white, including buying the new ones and registered before they are distributed to students and staff for travelling on campus provided that, after use, they must be parked without locking anywhere on campus but must not be taken off the campus. The university also provides additional bike lanes, sets up bicycle repair and maintenance units and monitors campus safety through a collaboration between Division of Physical Systems and Environment and Division of Student Affairs.

The Mahidol Day Flags

Small-sized, triangular cloth flags featuring the Prince Father’s memorial were first introduced for sale to the public in 1960. All proceeds go to support the university’s medical expenses and acquisition of apparatuses and facilities for poor and needy patients. A memorable incident illustrating the unity of Mahidol students took place in 1977 when the flags were sold out one day before Mahidol Day, 23rd September, the date of the major sale of Mahidol flags. The Mahidol University Volunteer Group comprising Mahidol students representing all faculties and campuses spent two days and two nights making additional flags to meet the public demand on the big day. The following year, the Mahidol Day Flags Sale Committee resolved to hire the group instead of a private company to produce the flags as it was impressed by the students’ workmanship while wishing to support the students’ activities as well. The Mahidol University Volunteer Group, on its part, uses the earnings to fund their annual project to construct schools in rural areas.

Future Outlook

Mahidol University aims to become a world-class university with health service, scientific, art and innovative excellence. In this, it has laid down a three-fold self-development approach leading toward the goal. The approach is elaborated as follows: firstly, to promote harmony against the backdrop of diversity by combining the visions and missions of different faculties, institutes and colleges such that they are in conformity with those of the university; secondly, to develop the information technology system and resources through effective information management that is conducive to study, research and overall management; and finally, to streamline human resources, students, personnel and academic staff by upgrading their professional skills and expertise, creating an environment conducive to learning and an atmosphere that stimulates research while promoting multisectoral collaboration in line with the university’s strategy toward social development for the happiness of mankind. As the Prince Father once remarked “True success is not in the learning, but in its application to the benefit of mankind”.