Abstract:
The objectives of this research are to study the policy of Prince of Songkla University, to analyze its roles according to its mission, namely teaching, research, social service and culture preservation, and to suggest guidelines in order to follow these missions. The study covered the period during the 7th Educational Development Plan (1992-1996) and the year 1997 in the 8th Educational Development Plan. The research population includes documents, reports, development plans, etc. as well as the member of the Board of University Council and the executives of Prince of Songkla University. The data was collected by using document survey forms and interview guidelines. The analysis was made by summarizing the content of the collected data. The results of the study are as follows: 1. The teaching policy is to produce graduates of bachelor degree level and graduate level and to expand educational opportunities. The research policy emphasizes directive researches and the support of graduate studies as a mechanism for research development. The social service policy is to provide various forms of service and to provide services related to the research. The culture preservation policy is to study and do researches on cultural issues. 2. The university's role in teaching is to produce graduates on bachelor and higher levels with an emphasis on the graduate study. The role concerning research is to emphasize directive researches. The role in social service is to provide free-of-charge services, non-profit services as well as profitable services. The role in culture preservation is to organize activities in form of trainings and exhibitions. However, there are only few activities in the field of research. 3. Guidelines for the university to follow teaching and research missions are to promote and support graduate study and faculty development and to support researches in the fields its personnel is highly capable as well as big-scale research projects. In the mission of social service the guidelines are to give more importance to services for people with less opportunities in emphasize active and profitable services. Lastly, the guideline for culture preservation mission is to make a clear annual working plan and budgeting for research projects dealing with cultural topics.