6 Cutting-Edge Programs at BU: Beyond Textbooks, Creating Career-Ready Professionals
Bangkok University hosted "One Day KOL at BU - The Coolest University YOU Must Tour," opening its doors to over 50 influencers and media to experience an educational model that collaborates with businesses and industries in curriculum development. This approach transforms the paradigm by breaking down walls between academia and the workplace, producing graduates who are immediately job-ready, meeting business sector needs, and bridging the gap between learning and working. By creating an ecosystem with a network of over 1,000 partners, developing curricula from the ground up, the university produces graduates with passion, creativity, social skills, and immediate work readiness.
Asst. Prof.Sansern Milindasuta, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, stated that the world is changing rapidly due to technology, economics, and conflicts. The business sector requires high adaptability, and the persistent problem is that higher education institutions produce graduates who don't meet market needs.
"We are not an institution that focuses solely on knowledge or creates knowledge without caring about real-world needs. We try to consult with business and industry sectors from the very beginning. Therefore, the traditional cooperation model that most universities are familiar with—transactional partnerships such as inviting guest lecturers or sending students for occasional internships—Bangkok University has moved beyond this model to create an 'Ecosystem' with a new paradigm, featuring a network of over 1,000 partners. The university doesn't view this network merely as places for student internships, but as co-developers of curricula from the start," said Asst. Prof. Sansern.
"Creativity" Beyond Thinking Outside the Box
Every curriculum and everything the university teaches truly aligns with market demands. Real experts from leading organizations teach using "real problems" from their work as case studies. When various companies see the potential and participate in developing students from their first year, internship and employment opportunities automatically open up.
"Bangkok University is a 'Creative University,' but the word 'creative' here has a tangible meaning with high business value, because it's creativity that can be put into actual practice, creating new innovations. Before students can 'think outside the box,' they must understand the 'framework' of the industry. Therefore, what Bangkok University instills in graduates is having passion for what they do, creativity, social skills, and the ability to work immediately as professionals," said Asst. Prof. Sansern.
6 Outstanding Programs Addressing Future World Needs
1. AI Engineering and Entrepreneurship
A.Pattrarat Tangnisaitrong, Director of the AI Engineering and Entrepreneurship Program, said this program emerged from collaboration between Bangkok University and King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), combining engineering and AI knowledge with entrepreneurial skills. The program uses the philosophy "Fail fast, learn fast." Students start creating business ideas and can present them to real clients from Year 1. They don't just learn theory but learn from the real working world through hands-on practice and problem-solving repeatedly throughout 4 years, with the goal of creating AI innovators with heart and creativity who can address market needs and successfully build businesses.
2. International Program in Film, Series and Global Content Production and Business and 3. Virtual Production and Immersive Experience Design Program
Dr.Peerachai Kerdsint, Assistant to the President for Academic Affairs and act for Dean, School of Digital Media and Cinematic Arts, said both programs arose from the needs of entrepreneurs in Thailand and abroad. The international Film, Series and Global Content Production and Business program was created when foreign studios approached the university looking for young people with fresh ideas—not just to produce filmmakers, but to create Showrunners or Creative Producers who can identify potential ideas, develop projects into concrete forms, understand business models, raise funds, and market to global audiences.
The Virtual Production and Immersive Experience Design program was created to meet personnel needs from technological changes, with 3 clear major tracks: 1. Virtual Production specifically for the film industry 2. Immersive Experience Design for other industries such as medicine (surgical simulation), e-commerce (virtual product try-ons) and 3. Virtual Visualization as the backbone for creating digital assets for both career paths.
4. Business Administration Program Taught in Chinese and English
Dr.Nithivadee Chanyaswad, Dean, Bangkok University Chinese International and Chairperson, Bachelor of Business Administration Program in International Business Management (Chinese Business), said the university positions itself as a "bridge between East and West" with goals beyond language teaching—to instill in students "Chinese CEO thinking" and understanding of the ecosystem of doing business in a world where China plays a significant role. Establishing a business administration program taught in both English and Chinese is not just about meeting global workforce demands, but is a proactive strategic move on the world stage to create graduates ready to seize opportunities and grow alongside the world's economic superpowers.
5. Digital Marketing Program
Dr.Kittipoom Supamontri, Director, Digital Marketing Program, said the program's highlight is emphasizing "hands-on practice" over classroom theory. Over 70% of student projects are assignments from real industry clients. Teaching focuses on having students conduct real market research, real planning, and create usable content, with many projects being purchased by clients for continued use. This allows them to accumulate tangible professional-level portfolios and be immediately work-ready, or potentially be recruited for work before graduation.
6. Culinary Arts and Restaurant Service Management Program
Dr.Daranee Artharn, Director of the Culinary Arts and Restaurant Service Management Program, said students learn to apply modern cooking techniques, recipe adaptation, and elevating the value of Thai local ingredients to create new food products and businesses with higher value. The program produces chefs who don't just cook from recipes, but entrepreneurs who can innovate and create their own food brands. Therefore, anyone interested in cooking, wanting to own a restaurant, or expand a restaurant internationally should explore this program.
All 6 programs focus on knowledge transfer and creating "professional attitudes," "practical skills," and "tangible portfolios" throughout their time at Bangkok University, to produce graduates who are ready to work and become entrepreneurs, addressing rapidly changing work trends.
