Assumption University’s award-winning curriculum brings together Thai and Chinese expertise to help prepare the next generation of electric vehicle professionals.
Thailand’s electric vehicle industry is accelerating, and Assumption University of Thailand (AU) is helping ensure that the workforce keeps pace.
A joint team representing AU, SAIC-CP MG and Guohe International Business (Yunnan) Co., Ltd. earned Second Prize at the inaugural Lancang-Mekong Workshop Teacher Curriculum Design Competition, held on October 21, 2026, at Yunnan Minzu University in China.
The international competition attracted 75 teams representing educational institutions and industry partners. Just 23 advanced to the finals, with four teams ultimately receiving Second Prize.
For AU, the recognition represents another important step in connecting university education with the rapidly changing needs of the automotive industry.
301 Skills for the Road Ahead
At the heart of the winning project is AU’s CHINAUTO New Energy Vehicle Skills Center, an initiative that brings academic expertise and automotive industry experience into the same learning environment.
Working with its industry partners, the team adapted 301 electric vehicle skills standards for bilingual Chinese-English training, developing a curriculum designed to make technical knowledge more accessible to an international workforce.
The practical applications extend well beyond the classroom. As electric vehicles become more common across Thailand and Southeast Asia, employers increasingly need technicians who understand battery systems, electric motors, electronic controls, diagnostics and vehicle maintenance.
Preparing those professionals requires industry-relevant instruction, technical competency and the ability to work across languages and borders.
The award-winning curriculum is also expected to contribute to the Lancang-Mekong Workshop’s international teaching resource repository, potentially extending its educational value to future vocational training programs overseas.
From the Classroom to the Automotive Industry
The award builds on a growing collaboration between Assumption University and leading automotive and educational partners.
In April 2026, AU was awarded the designation of the world’s first Chinauto Skills Center during the World New Energy Vehicle Conference’s Thailand session in Bangkok.
The initiative subsequently developed into practical training programs at AU’s Suvarnabhumi Campus, including the MG-AU New Energy and Intelligent Vehicle Industry College.
These programs combine university instruction with technical training delivered by automotive industry professionals. Participants gain experience in vehicle systems, fault diagnosis, maintenance and industry operations, helping connect academic learning with the realities of modern automotive employment.
The latest international recognition demonstrates how those partnerships are also contributing to the development of teaching resources that can be shared across the region.
Dr. Gao Li Highlights Thailand’s EV Workforce Needs
AU’s international participation continued at the 7th Lancang-Mekong Vocational Education Alliance Roundtable Meeting, held in Kunming on October 23.
Dr. Gao Li, Assistant Vice President for Educational Innovation and Graduate Studies and Director of the Thai-Chinese International College, addressed delegates on the importance of developing skilled professionals to support Thailand’s growing electric vehicle industry.
His participation highlighted opportunities for closer cooperation among universities, vocational education providers and automotive companies, particularly in curriculum development, professional training and the international exchange of technical expertise.
The gathering brought together education and industry representatives from across the Lancang-Mekong region to explore shared training standards and stronger connections between education and employment.
Representatives of AU and SAIC-CP MG also engaged with Chinese educational and industry organizations to explore additional opportunities for cooperation.
Building Skills Beyond Borders
The award reflects a broader direction for Assumption University: bringing international education, industry partnerships and practical skills development together to address emerging workforce needs.
For students and professionals preparing to enter the automotive industry, such cooperation can create new opportunities for technical training, international experience and career development.
As Thailand and its regional partners invest in the future of electric mobility, AU’s contribution is increasingly taking shape not only through academic programs, but also through the skills, standards and partnerships that will help power the next generation of automotive professionals.
The vehicles of tomorrow are arriving. Assumption University is helping prepare the people who will keep them moving.
WRITER: THE AU LIBRARY
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