Personnel from the School of Business and Communication Arts, University of Phayao, participated as speakers, research mentors, and Social Return on Investment (SROI) specialists in the Level 4 Area-Based Competency Training Workshop, held on 4–5 June 2026 at the Active Learning Room, University of Phayao. The workshop was organized under the Reinventing University Project through a collaboration between the Research Administration Division, University of Phayao, and the Phayao Creative Economy Promotion Project under the Sustainable Development Framework, Phase II. The project is coordinated by Dr. Warat Matayomburut, Deputy Director of the Institute of Innovation and Technology Transfer.
Dr. Warat Matayomburut served as a speaker on the topic “Area Feasibility Analysis for Sustainable Development” and also acted as a research mentor throughout the workshop. He was joined by Assistant Professor Angkana Pantueak, Deputy Director of the Institute for Learning Innovation; Assistant Professor Dr. Ariya Phaokhrueang, Chair of the Bachelor of Economics Program; and Dr. Ruangrong Suwannakan, Lecturer in the Bachelor of Economics Program, who served as SROI mentors and specialists.
The workshop aimed to enhance the advanced competencies of academic staff in area-based research and community-engaged academic services. Participants were trained to design participatory working processes in collaboration with local communities and to apply academic tools for systematically analyzing community assets, local resources, and development potential. Key methodologies introduced during the training included Community Asset Mapping, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), the Knowledge–Skill–Attitude (KSA) Framework, and Social Return on Investment (SROI) assessment.
On this occasion, Professor Dr. Samur Thanoi, Vice President for Research and Innovation, delivered a special lecture entitled “Area-Based Development Policy of the University of Phayao.” His presentation communicated the University’s vision and strategic direction toward becoming a higher education institution that generates positive social and community impact through research, innovation, and knowledge-based development.
Participants also had the opportunity to learn from distinguished national experts, including Associate Professor Dr. Jessada Mingchai, Vice President of Uttaradit Rajabhat University, and Ms. Benjamas Teeramaswanich, an expert from the Program Management Unit on Area-Based Development (PMU-A). They were further supported by a team of eleven research mentors from the University of Phayao, who provided close consultation, guidance, and experience-sharing throughout the training process.
The involvement of personnel from the School of Business and Communication Arts as research mentors reflects the School’s commitment to developing researchers who can effectively integrate academic knowledge with real-world community contexts. The initiative emphasizes the development of research that responds to community needs, creates economic, social, and environmental value, and generates measurable outcomes through systematic social impact assessment.
The project is closely aligned with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, through researcher capacity building and lifelong learning; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, through the generation of knowledge and innovation that support grassroots economic development; SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, through strengthening community capacity and promoting evidence-based development planning; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, through the integration of collaboration among universities, research funding organizations, academics, and local communities to advance sustainable area-based development.
The implementation of the Reinventing University Project serves as an important mechanism for strengthening the role of the University of Phayao as an “Area-Based University.” By generating knowledge, fostering innovation, and creating meaningful social impact, the University continues to contribute to improving the quality of life of local communities and strengthening community resilience, thereby supporting sustainable development in the long term.