ABSTRACT
Presently, universities and public research institutes are perceived as much more important in driving the economy. Their teaching and research activities have to be more relevant to the industry and society. They are expected to contribute directly to the emergence and growth of entrepreneurs and enterprises. We investigate the historical development of the Thai universities and public research institutes and the impacts on human resource and enterprise development. Specifically, compared to their counterparts in other East Asian economies, we assess how universities and public research institutes in Thailand could or could not contribute to firms’ technological learning processes and to what extent. Through existing surveys and case studies, we found that collaborative research and training were the preferred modes of interaction with industry, rather than the licensing of intellectual property rights and human mobility. Unlike other advanced Asian economies, universities collaborated more with firms in resource-based industries rather than those in science-based industries.
