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Thai Canadian Graduate : A Perfect Fit for an Aboriginal Open Learning Centre
Submitted by Shuana Niessen
Nirach Suapa
Dr . Nirach Suapa , a 2011 graduate of a Ph . D . program in Adult Education and Human Resource Development at the University of Regina , and a landed immigrant to Canada from Thailand , is now working as a facilitator with the Aboriginal Resources and Open Learning Centre , located at the Thompson Rivers University ( TRU ), Williams Lake campus and housed within the Gathering Place . The Open Learning Centre provides First Nations communities in the surrounding area with access to hundreds of courses and programs . In his role as facilitator , Suapa says , “ I work with students to develop an individual learning plan and help with the process of registering for Open Learning courses and applying for Open Learning programs . I also serve as a transitions point for Aboriginal students into other campus program offerings .” He is responsible for initiating , organizing , and promoting activities supporting the success of the Learning Centre and the students accessing the centre : “ I liaison with local and regional First Nations bands and community organizations , the Williams Lake community , TRU campus , and Open Learning Student Services and program staff in the marketing , promotion , and delivery of courses and programs through the Learning Centre ,” says Suapa .
Suapa was born in Phichit , a northern province of Thailand . He moved to Bangkok , the capital city , to complete his B . Ed . at Ramkhamhaeng University ( Open University ) and also worked as an elementary school teacher . He then completed a Master of Education in Human Resource Development and Master of Public Administration while working as an import / export officer for Japanese and Taiwanese companies . Next , he started a Ph . D . in Human Resource Development program at a Thai university . However , this was an international program and English language skills were a requirement — his dissertation was to be written in English . “ I realized that I definitely needed to improve my English skills in order to graduate from the Ph . D . program ,” says Suapa .
“ I researched a lot about ESL programs and doctoral programs in HRD in Canadian universities . I ended up in the ESL program at the U of R in the winter of 2005 and started a Ph . D . in Education ( AE / HRD ) in fall of 2007 ,” says Suapa . Three factors influenced Suapa ’ s decision to come to the U of R : personal contact , a unique program , and quality of education . At an international conference in Bangkok in 2004 , Suapa met Dr . Rosetta Khalideen , who , at that time , was the Director of AE / HRD for the Faculty of Education . After meeting Dr . Khalideen , Suapa contacted her and she gave him helpful advice regarding the U of R , Ph . D . admission requirements and process . Second , the U of R offered the unique program that Suapa was interested in : “ I selected the U of R because of the AE / HRD program . It was what I wanted to continue my education ,” Suapa explains . And third , Suapa believed that Canadian universities offer a high quality of education , education that is not , as he says , “ a commercial industry .”
The title of Suapa ’ s dissertation is “ Workplace Learning Programs and their Outcomes : A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of an International Organization in Thailand .” Through the study , he sought to discover participants ’ definitions of success and factors that they associated with the success and failure of workplace learning programs in an international organization in
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