Analysis of Mahidol University Research Funds Supported by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) for Research and Innovation in the Fiscal Year 2021 - 2023

Abstract

Mahidol University has received research and innovation funding allocations from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (MHESI), under The National Science Research and Innovation Fund (NSRF) for the fiscal year 2021 - 2023. A total of 128 projects (48.86% of the proposed projects) with a total budget of 479.17 million baht (40.16% of the proposed budget) have been approved. In the fiscal year 2021 - 2022, Program 17, National Crisis Management (COVID-19 and Drought), received the highest research funding. This is attributed to the university's academic strengths and expertise in health sciences, medicine, and research on epidemic diseases, enabling efficient research output in these areas. For the fiscal year 2023, Plan 9, Enhancing Aging Society through Science, Research, and Innovation, has received the highest research funding, aligning with Mahidol University's strengths in medical research and health systems. Moreover, Thailand has entered the phase of an aging society. In comparison to research funds allocated by NRCT in the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts, the amount remains small in proportion to the budget that NRCT receives support from the NSRF. The analysis of the landscape for fiscal years 2021 and 2023 is Scenario 2, which comprises the number of research projects receiving high budgetary support and low research funding. For fiscal year 2022 is Scenario 3, which includes the number of research projects receiving low funding and research projects with low research funding. Therefore, cross-disciplinary research should be integrated in the form of a large multi-institutional/multi-disciplinary. So that research can solve complex problems and bring greater benefits to society. And strengthen researchers as a whole by organizing activities to promote and support researchers in writing research proposals until they are successful and can apply for funding. Networking research inside and outside the university publishing support and publishing research results setting up a Research Clinic with direct research experts providing advice to increase the chances of receiving budget support from NRCT.