Mahidol University

Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, can be traced back to the foundation of the Siriraj Hospital, which was established by his Majesty King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1888. The hospital had a medical school - the oldest seat of higher education learning in the country - which first awarded a degree in 1893. In 1943, it became the University of Medical Sciences  before finally becoming Mahidol University, in honour of his royal highness Prince Mahidol of Songkla , also known as Thailand’s “Father of Modern Medicine and Public Health”, in 1969. The university has three campuses across Bangkok, the biggest of which, Salaya, is located in Nakhon Pathom province. There are also two smaller inner-city bases. In addition, there are provincial campuses in Nakhon Sawan, Kanchanaburi and Amnaj Charoen provinces. The Salaya Campus houses the most research centres, along with the institution’s student union and student accommodation. The original medical school is based at the Bangkok Noi Campus, which is home to the faculties of Medical Technology, Nursing and Siriraj Hospital. The university houses the Mahidol University International College which, in 1986, began teaching Thailand’s first international bachelor’s degree programme. UIC, as it is known, now offers 19 undergraduate and two master's degree programs, and has more than 3,000 students. Mahidol University is a member of the country’s National Research University Initiative and Research Promotion programme, as decreed by the Office of Higher Education Commission at the Ministry for Education in 2009. This programme aims to promote Thailand as a hub of internationally recognised research, education and development. It was allocated a $350 million budget.