The Green Heart student leaders of King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) have achieved a historic victory by winning the 1st Place Award in the Sustainable Project Competition at the 10th Sustainable University Network of Thailand (SUN Thailand) Annual Conference. With this prestigious win, the team has been selected as the official representatives of Thailand to compete at the Asian Sustainable Campus Network (ASCN) Conference to be held at Ritsumeikan University in Japan.
The winning project, titled “Social Innovator: Training the Trainer Program for Sustainability Leaders by KMUTT Green Heart,” showcases the continuous efforts of the “Tue” (Tutoring) Club. The project focuses on expanding educational opportunities while developing students across all years to be environmentally conscious and socially responsible “Change Agents.”
Meet the “Change Agents with Green Heart” Team:
- Mr. Ponlapat Muenmeed – Faculty of Science (Department of Mathematics)
- Ms. Nattanat Reawrieb – Faculty of Engineering (Department of Industrial Engineering)
- Mr. Chakrit Phoolanna – Faculty of Information Technology (Information Technology Program)
From Small Gears to Social Innovators
What began as a small group of students from diverse disciplines and scholarship backgrounds has evolved into a powerhouse of “Social Innovators.” They don’t just volunteer; they design and integrate academic knowledge into creative learning innovations tailored to specific community needs.
The Green Heart team’s success is built upon three core pillars that address sustainability from upstream to downstream:
- Tue Welcome: Monthly sessions every July for freshmen to bridge academic gaps and foster a “Sharing Society” within the university. Over 19 editions, it has reached 7,000 participants with 1,500 student organizers.
- Tue Admission: An outreach program for high school students, focusing on GAT/PAT and basic subjects alongside proactive career counseling. This project has impacted over 1,500 youths across 17 editions.
- Tue Punrak: Bringing educational opportunities to primary school children in remote areas. The curriculum integrates core subjects with environmental, energy, and safety awareness. It has successfully reached 19 schools across Thailand with 2,500 participants.
The Mechanism of Sustainability: Peer-to-Peer Ecosystem
The secret to their continuity is the “Senior-to-Junior” coaching system. Seniors act as mentors, transferring problem-solving skills and management techniques to juniors through hands-on practice. This ecosystem ensures that every generation of Green Heart students is ready to lead the change.
This initiative embodies the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and aligns with the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy. It reflects KMUTT’s vision as a Sustainable Entrepreneurial University, nurturing graduates who are not only technologically proficient but are also “Change Agents with Green Heart” dedicated to the country’s sustainable future.
