The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) has come up with an idea to connect universities with businesses, increasing opportunities for the younger generation.

Professor Dr. Yoschanan revealed at the ACMA Business Forum 2026 a concept to revamp urban planning around universities, connecting learning spaces with businesses. He also proposed establishing a University Holding Consortium to unlock private sector funding and support Thai innovation to a global level, highlighting an Income Ladder model to connect startups with farmers.

On September 8, 2026, the Association of Capital Market Academy Students (ACMA) organized the ACMA Business Forum 2569 under the theme “Empowering People and Building Resilience.” Professor Dr. Yotsanun Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), spoke on the topic “Building Thailand…to be Ready.”

Professor Dr. Yotsanun Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), stated that the true function of the MHESI is to manage human capital, with the core principle being to bring people together to create a spark and continuous driving force. This is achieved by acting as a bridge connecting universities to the economic system, the labor market, and all relevant groups of people in a focused manner.

However, one of the major problems in Thailand is the current environment and urban planning of Thai universities, which mostly have fences and barriers that hinder interactions between students with ideas and investors or venture capital firms (VCs). This is in stark contrast to Europe, where leading universities, parks, and educational institutions are interconnected.

Therefore, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) is preparing a plan to clearly improve urban planning around higher education institutions. This involves arranging residential areas, private companies, and universities to be located adjacent to create opportunities for rapid collaboration. The goal is to reform the system so that students can start working and earning income immediately upon entering university, through partnerships with startups or leading companies around the university. At the same time, private companies and startups will be able to immediately access high-performance research tools and labs within universities without having to invest in expensive equipment themselves.

To boost investor confidence, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) established the University Holding Company Consortium to address the financial and investment limitations of universities. This is due to the vastly different budgets of each university and the constraints on government funding's ability to directly invest in risky businesses due to auditing restrictions.

“This consortium will serve as an intermediary to provide initial funding, ensuring credibility for private sector entities such as the Federation of Thai Industries or the Thai Chamber of Commerce to subsequently invest. This will be done in conjunction with collaboration with patent institutions to negotiate and promote intellectual property, as intellectual property is a valuable legacy that can be passed on to future generations.”

Furthermore, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) continues to promote a comprehensive innovation ecosystem through its nationwide network of Science Parks equipped with labs and incubation tools, connecting to Thailand Knowledge Park (TK Park) to provide youth with easier access to information resources, and continuously organizing Hackathons and business idea competitions.

Professor Dr. Yotsanun stated that, in order to create a chain that connects all groups of people, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation's Income Ladder concept aims to promote Thai unicorn startups to use ingredients from local farmers, such as the extraction of herbs or medicines with internationally recognized scientific evidence.

This model will result in the growth and expansion of startup businesses into international markets, benefiting farmers who supply raw materials and the upstream local communities throughout the province. It will also attract talented Thai individuals from abroad to use Thailand as a base for their business growth.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) continues its nationwide poverty alleviation project, which has been underway for over 5 years. This involves sending university professors to work with communities, providing them with knowledge in business, cost management, and agricultural technology.

"A concrete example of success is the fishery product processing project implemented by a group of unemployed women in Narathiwat province, with support from Narathiwat Rajanagarindra University, which has enabled them to generate stable supplementary income for their families."

Professor Dr. Yotsanun stated that Thailand is currently recognized as having one of the best medical and medical technology ecosystems, as well as agricultural and industrial robotics sectors, in Southeast Asia.

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) is therefore focused on pushing Thailand to become a world leader in several areas, such as a center for cancer and stroke treatment, the development of a future food research center (Sensory Lab/Future Food), and innovative drugs for rehabilitation, as well as the Siam Silicon project.

This collaboration with the Board of Investment (BOI) aims to promote high-value electronics investment, such as advanced sensors and photonic technology systems, which are crucial for the future of data communication in data centers. The goal is to attract investment and develop a new generation of semiconductor personnel in Thailand.

"The government needs to let go of outdated technologies and stop providing value-less subsidies, instead focusing on supporting people through budget allocation for development and upskilling/reskilling to enable lifelong learning. Simultaneously, it must allocate research and development (R&D) funds to target new industries effectively."

Furthermore, the government will strictly regulate to create a competitive balance, ensuring that no one can monopolize superior technology. Innovative and supported technologies must be equally accessible to all citizens, preventing any single group from excessively profiting commercially.

"Thailand must be free from corruption in every way possible to truly build maximum confidence in the research and development and innovation system and in both domestic and international investors."

Read related news

• ACMA unites leaders from government, business, and academia to emphasize the power of "human resources" in building Thailand's resilience in the new world.
• Kasikornbank and Accenture highlight AI as a transformative force for organizations, emphasizing it won't replace people but will help create productivity and value.