Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand was presented with the first-ever Graduate School of Education International Award of Merit yesterday at the Hilton Inn at Penn.
The award, presented by GSE Dean Susan Fuhrman, honored the princess' work in improving education in Thailand and throughout the world.
Fuhrman noted that the princess has "an invested authority" in improving education.
University Provost Robert Barchi, who spoke at the event, said Princess Sirindhorn is a "shining example" whose leadership "knows no bounds."
Princess Sirindhorn, who holds two master's degrees and a doctorate in development education, now works to improve children's nutritional conditions in schools and to help the handicapped gain independent living and learning skills.
A roundtable discussion held earlier in the day compared and contrasted the differences in the quality of education available to students in the United States and in Thailand.
One of the specific educational topics addressed was the importance of secondary education. Thailand is now in the process of looking to America's higher education system as a model to help set Thailand on the road to bringing this type of education to more people.
At the award ceremony, the princess was briefed on the state of education in the United States by Counselor to the U.S. Secretary of Education Susan Sclafani and Harvard professor of Education Noel McGinn.
Sclafani explained to Princess Sirindhorn the goals and achievements of the No Child Left Behind Act, as well as the important role community colleges play in American education.
Following the presentation of the award, Princess Sirindhorn addressed the four educational goals in Thailand today -- knowledge and information, hands-on activities, physical education and finally, moral education. However, she raised concerns about how growing consumerism and increasing technologies are affecting these goals.
"Children nowadays tend to adopt consumeri[st] habits with little" incentive to invent and create by themselves, she said.
Princess Sirindhorn warned that if educational leaders are not aware of the overwhelming influence of money, "education may defeat its own purpose and end up producing selfish and aggressive competitiveness."
The princess also emphasized the role that technology plays in dividing socioeconomic groups and the work that needs to be done in order to prevent the growth of unequal educational opportunities.
"Globalization has created a large group of disadvantaged people who do not have access or cannot keep up with rapidly changing communication and knowledge," the princess said.
However, she noted that "education is the greatest tool for human development," and she is confident that the roundtable will provide strong recommendations for improving education in America and Thailand.
Penn graduate and Teach for America volunteer Nina Teng said that it was "such an honor to be invited" to the discussion and to finally have the opportunity to bring forth diversity through issues such as education.
The Thai Student Association presented the princess with a clock from the Penn Bookstore at a reception following the award ceremony.
"She means a lot to the Thai community. ... Being able to speak to her was overwhelming," said Thai Student Association member and Nursing sophomore Ann Klinkusoom.
