1. The research interest of individual faculty members should be encouraged. 2. The research is influenced by both international trends (primatology) and local trends (area-based research). 3. The local trend can make use of knowledge accumulated internationally, but have to be applied to specific areas. This can be done by collecting both key international information and extra information specific to the area. By combining these two sources of information, “wisdom specific to the area” can be developed. 4. This new type of research should be taught and learned by new-generation researchers. This can be done by empowering graduate students to handle such research. 5. Given the university’s interest, the research can be replicated, scaled up, and even used to address to a bigger issue related to sustainable development. 66 THE ASIA REGIONAL FORUM ON BIODIVERSITY It is important to note that the university system in Thailand is experiencing major reforms in higher education, both structurally and functionally. Thailand has massified higher education expansion. Competition for excellence in the academic field has stimulated semi-competition among universities for recognition, students and research funding. Another recent trend involves encouraging cooperation among various fields both within and among universities for multi-disciplinary research. This is similar to the international trend. The involvement of communities in the project shows local demand, but also indicates the social responsibility of the university. This requires not only developing the “wisdom of the area,” but also university leadership. This operation research can be added to the experiences accumulated through the process of setting up Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development facilitated by the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS). In fact, similar to RCE, a university can foster a campus environment that assists students in their learning in preparation for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Conclusions Encouraging an individual faculty member to pursue his or her own research interests on biodiversity conservation is one of the major strengths of Mahidol University under its Medicine and Science programme. Lessons learned from the project provide guidelines for future replication and scaling up operation for the university to develop a programme for community involvement on biodiversity conservation. This lesson learned can add to experiences derived from RCEs facilitated by the UNU-IAS. Additionally, creating campus environments that assist students in learning biodiversity conservation, social responsibility and sustainable development is one initiative that any university can do. Figure 3. A Ph.D. student from Mahidol University is working on the conservation of pileated gibbon in Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctury, Chanthaburi Province, Southeast Thailand.
In Celebration of His Majesty the King of Thailand’s 84th Birthday Anniversary
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