TCEB DRIVES THAILAND AS AN EDUCATION HUB OF ASEAN

INITIATING MICE CURRICULUM TO DRIVE CAPACITIES TO MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARD

    Bangkok / 29 July 2014 – The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB reveals MICE Capabilities development plan, following the bureau’s 5-year strategic development roadmap (2012-2016). As the first country in Asia, Thailand is developing a MICE Curriculum to meet international standards. This year, TCEB is further expanding its educational collaboration with additional 27 vocational colleges. To prepare Thailand’s MICE professionals to the economic expansion of broader ASEAN region, the bureau also initiates a MICE Career Day to offer opportunities in MICE career for newly graduated students.

    Mr Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, president of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB, disclosed that, “TCEB is aware of the importance of sustainable development of the country’s bustling MICE industry, in which MICE capacities and professionals play a vital role in driving our industry forward into the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015. The development plans will follow the bureau’s 5-year strategic development roadmap (2012-2016), focusing on strengthening capabilities and skills of the stakeholders towards international standards; MICE database development; MICE standards; and MICE preparation for the AEC.

    To improving MICE education throughout Thailand, TCEB has launched the MICE Academy – Creating Future MICE Leaders. The Academy highlights three areas of development including the MICE Curriculum; the Coach the Coaches Program; and the MICE Academic Exchange Program.

    At the heart of an enhancement on MICE specialization, TCEB’s MICE Academy is propelled under strategic cooperation between TCEB, Thailand Incentive and Convention Association (TICA), Thai Exhibition Association and Event Management Association (EMA). Established in 2012, the curriculum was designed to educate young people with MICE knowledge which will in turn expand MICE career opportunity. Currently, a total of 52 universities throughout the country have adopted the curriculum into their study programs. In addition, the compilation of success stories within the MICE industry under the MICE Casebook will be given to participating education institutes.

    Further, TCEB today announces its partnerships with additional 27 vocational colleges nationwide in bringing international-standard MICE Curriculum into their instruction. The adoption of the MICE Curriculum will drive Thailand’s leadership position as the first country in Asia that has the first international-standard MICE Curriculum and the only country that applies MICE knowledge with study program of educational institutes. In addition, Thailand will soar as the World’s top country with highest number of educational institutes having MICE subjects in their study program.

    “The MICE education collaboration is considered a notable step towards the creation of similar standard of MICE education nationwide. TCEB believes that our expansion to vocational colleges will definitely add up human resources for MICE career path and help to lay a foundation stone for Thailand’s MICE industry. This will enable Thailand to produce new graduates specialising in MICE, with particular knowledge and understanding in the industry, leading to the escalation of high-quality MICE human resources and creation of new generation of MICE leaders on national and international scales whose capabilities will advance Thai and ASEAN MICE in the future. The project is expected to produce more than 5,000 MICE students and up to 20,000 by 2015.” added Mr. Nopparat.

    The ‘Coach the Coaches Program’ is a workshop provided to the instructors of MICE 101 from 52 educational institutes. Joining instructors will be trained with teaching techniques from key figures from MICE industry in order to be able to teach MICE subjects with full efficiency, both in terms of MICE knowledge and case study. Currently, more than 400 instructors and entrepreneurs had received the training. However, TCEB has planned to expand the training for 150 more instructors in vocational colleges within 2015.

    In addition, the MICE Academic Exchange Program which features the knowledge exchange between educational institutes in Thailand and foreign countries. The programme will include various activities, such as conference, college visit, knowledge exchange, network establishment and educational tours in target countries, including Germany, Japan, USA, Australia, Switzerland, China and England.

    In the preparation towards the AEC integration in 2015, TCEB is now working on the project designed to connect new graduates with MICE career path via the MICE Career Day in order to open up opportunities for MICE entrepreneurs and new graduates to meet directly and undergo recruitment. The project will enhance the confidence in employment for new graduates and improve the knowledge base in MICE. Additionally, Educational Cluster will be created by region for which will total at 4 clusters formed to strengthen MICE learning through regional activities. All of aforementioned plans will be implemented under the objective in promoting a leap forward for the growth of Thai MICE, along with retaining Thailand’s position as ASEAN’s MICE education hub.

    “Today, Thailand is the top market of international exhibition in the ASEAN. Bangkok has been ranked as 1 among 10 Asian cities with ideal international conference facilities. Stepping into the AEC is synonymous to opening up towards freedom of competition which will become more intensified from time to time, both in terms of business and movement of manpower. So to speak, the betterment of potential and profession of Thai MICE towards international standards will raise the competitive advantage for Thai MICE to be able to compete in the AEC. In other words, this shall respond to the vision of TCEB in enforcing Thailand as the premier destination for MICE in Asia.” concluded Mr Nopparat.

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For further information, please contact:

Corporate Communications Division,

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization)

Ms Arisara Thanuplang Tel: +66 2 694 6095 Email: arisara_t@tceb.or.th

Mr Pishnu Plaikaew Tel: +66 2 694 6000 Email: pishnu_p@tceb.or.th

Ms Kanokwan Kadeedaeng Tel: + 662 694 6006 Email: kanokwan_k@tceb.or.th

Ms Kwanchanok Otton Tel: + 662 694 6096 Email: kwanchanok_o@tceb.or.th