PSU Ready to Open Faculty of Nursing at Pattani Campus in 2011

Asst. Prof. Patchariya Chailangka, Director of the Faculty of Nursing Establishment Project, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus said that the university will establish a new Faculty of Nursing on Pattani Campus and will be ready for student admission in the academic year 2011.This is to serve the need for nursing personnel in southern border provinces as stated in the objectives of the establishment. In addition, opening the Faculty of Nursing at Pattani Campus will attract local students to further their study in the south instead of going to other parts of the country for higher education.

One advantage that nursing students both Buddhists and Muslims at PSU Pattani Campus have when they graduate and enter the workforce is the ability to communicate in Arabic. They are very much sought after especially by private hospitals needing Arabic speaking nurses because at present there are 2-3 millions people from the Middle East seeking healthcare in Thailand. This eventually opens opportunities and choices for students in the south, both for work in their hometown and abroad. The university is ready in terms of personnel, teaching staff and venue for the production of quality nurses. A lot of budget has been invested in constructing laboratories and procuring equipment parallel to that available in an operating hospital.

Pattani campus is expanding its study programs in health science to open the nursing faculty as its first with pharmaceutical science and medicine to follow. So far, Pattani campus, has been teaching medical students from the three southern border provinces fundamental subjects. Moreover, since 2009, the Ministry of Public Health required that all study programs had to satisfy the national qualification standards of the tertiary education. Hence, it is certain that the graduates will be of international standard.