Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
provides educational opportunities for Stateless Students.
Creating equality towards the SDGs
On July 18, 2024, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences organized the 2nd Public Lecture to commemorate the 69th anniversary of Burapha University. The event, themed “Achieving Gender Equality and Enhancing the Role of All Women and Girls (SDG5) and Reducing Inequality Within and Among Countries (SDG10),” featured a presentation by Dr. Supatra Kaopradit Supchukul, Deputy Dean for Administration and Strategic Planning and Lecturer in the Department of Sociology. Dr. Supatra’s lecture, titled “Stateless Women Students: Opportunities in Life and Education,” highlighted the efforts to promote educational opportunities and equality for stateless students, as undertaken by the Department of Sociology.
Despite Thailand’s policies under the National Education Act of 1999 and the Compulsory Education Act of 2002, which mandate educational access for all individuals, including stateless persons, these policies do not extend to the tertiary level. Consequently, stateless children residing in Thailand often face significant challenges in accessing higher education, both due to economic barriers and misunderstandings surrounding human rights.
Since the Department of Sociology introduced Bachelor of Arts program in Social Service Management in the academic year 2023, two stateless students, Ms. Mariam Gita and Ms. Wanni, have been required to pay tuition fees at the international student rate, which is higher than that for Thai students. The university had yet to define “stateless students,” leading the department to seek assistance from the Legal Division to accurately categorize these students and address their specific challenges.
Thanks to the support from the faculty and various university units, Burapha University has implemented the “Regulations on the Collection of Maintenance Fees and Tuition Fees for Stateless Students 2023,” which ensures that stateless students are charged the same tuition rate as Thai students. The development and implementation of this regulation took approximately 11 months.
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Burapha University demonstrates a strong commitment to fostering an equitable society by supporting stateless female students in the Department of Sociology. This initiative not only helps to mitigate social inequality but also aligns with SDG5 and SDG10 by enhancing the role of women and girls and reducing inequality both within and among countries, thereby ensuring that all individuals have access to educational opportunities regardless of gender, nationality, race, or economic status.
Project Leader: Dr.Supatra Kaopradit Supchuku,
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences