การประชุ
มวิ
ชาการและเสนอผลงานวิ
จั
ย มหาวิ
ทยาลั
ยทั
กษิ
ณ ครั้
งที่
19 ประจำป
2552
The Role of University Research in Support of Southern Thai Communities
Having discussed some limitations of the usual R&D approach and of the ‘we-
know-what’s-best-for-you’ approach to community development, it must be acknowledged
that much applied research is dictated by those approaches. The obvious question then is,
‘how can university research be different from other types of research’? One answer is that,
in some countries where universities are autonomous regardless of how they are funded,
researchers guard the objectivity of their work and that of their graduate students. The principle
has proved durable and useful in university education and research across centuries.
Where the autonomy of universities is less flexible, the overriding educational role of
universities is usually emphasized through large-scale undergraduate programs; nevertheless,
research is still conducted through graduate training. However, basic research and much
applied research are conducted through non-university specialist research organisations that are
not distracted by teaching. This is surely a sobering thought for universities in Thailand in the
current climate. One can debate whether this is a good thing or not – but that is not the purpose
of this paper. What is more relevant is the clear indication that a reputation for quality ongoing
university research is most likely to be derived from a quality graduate research program.
University research is therefore a product of research training. This explains the
responsibilities of university staff beyond those in research-only organisations in terms of the ‘duty
of care’ for both graduate candidates and society in general. It is a moral responsibility, and one
that most academics assume as second nature – nevertheless, it is worthy of mention in connection
with university research of value to local communities. The subject has been mentioned often
– one eloquent version in the Thai context is that of Than Buddhadasa in words something like,
As far as we know, today’s separation of education from Dhamma, or if you like, religion,
derives from the great universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Before this, education
was conducted through the respective religions and was based on self-control prohibiting
greed. Later, schools progressed with society to the extent that they became independent
of religion, and education changed. The gentlemanly products of the past who looked to the
Dhamma, have now replaced by seeming gentle-men and -women who look only to
themselves as a result of an education system separated from religion and freed of morality
– students were once refined in the Dhamma, now they are refined in selfishness. The
system reveres cleverness, which in the absence of moral context, is applied to selfish ends
rather than to the benefit of the community, religion, the world, and society. This selfishness
is now so deep that it would be difficult to control or solve, and this product of separating
education from religion is what we call ‘secularisation’ – a devilish cleverness used to gain
personal advantage over others. I call this type of education wrong, a crazy cleverness,
the opposite of applying knowledge to the benefit of others.
