Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University or STOU () is the only

open university The Open University (OU) is a British Public university, public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by List of universities in the United Kingdom by enrolment, number of students. The majority of the OU's underg ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

History

Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University was officially established by

royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, b ...

on 5 September 1978 as Thailand's eleventh state university to provide the people with increased education opportunities.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej Bhumibol Adulyadej ( th, ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; ; ; (Sanskrit: ''bhūmi·bala atulya·teja'' - "might of the land, unparalleled brilliance"); 5 December 192713 October 2016), conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Great ...

(King Rama IX), bestowed the name "Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University" in the honor of

King Prajadhipok Prajadhipok ( th, ประชาธิปก, RTGS: ''Prachathipok'', 8 November 1893 – 30 May 1941), also Rama VII, was the seventh monarch of Siam of the Chakri dynasty. His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to political and ...

(Rama VII), one of whose titles before his accession to the throne was "Prince Sukhothai Thammaracha" or "Prince of Sukhothai". It was the first open university in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...

to use a distance teaching/learning system. STOU received its first academic class on 1 December 1980, beginning with three schools of study: educational studies, liberal arts, and management science. From 1979 to 1984, STOU shared space with other state agencies and universities. In 1981, the university acquired its current property in Pak Kret District of Nonthaburi Province, and began operating from the new location on 9 December 1984. Today the university has 12 schools of study with undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs.

Curriculum

* School of Law * School of Communication Arts * School of Human Ecology * School of Political Science * School of Management Science * School of Health Sciences * School of Liberal Arts * School of Education * School of Economics * School of Agriculture and Cooperatives * School of Science and technology * School of Nursing

References

External links

Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (English site)
{{Authority control Universities in Thailand Buildings and structures in Nonthaburi province Distance education institutions based in Thailand Educational institutions established in 1978 1978 establishments in Thailand