The Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC), Philippines, in collaboration with the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC), Ministry of Education, Thailand, successfully conducted the In-Country Program on “Integrating Entrepreneurship and Technopreneurship in TVET Curriculum” from January 26 to 30, 2026, at the Bureau of Personnel Competency Development in Bangkok, Thailand.
Designed to strengthen participants’ capacity to integrate entrepreneurial and technology-driven business concepts into TVET curricula, the five-day program was joined by 31 teachers and educational personnel engaged in the curriculum development. Furthermore, the participants explored how TVET graduates can be empowered not only with technical competencies but also with innovative mindsets, resilience, opportunity recognition skills, and the ability to create sustainable and technology-enabled enterprises.
The program was jointly supervised by CPSC Director General Prof. (Dr.) Suresh K. Dhameja and OVEC Secretary-General Mr. Yodsapol Venukosess, with overall coordination led by CPSC Faculty Specialist Prof. Heidi Uy and OVEC Policy and Planning Analyst Mr. Laksasak Yangsaman, who served as Program Coordinators. APACC Officer Ms. Julifer Madeja also joined as Program Assistant to provide administrative support in the training.
The program opened with a ceremony attended by CPSC and OVEC officials, followed by a special lecture by Prof. (Dr.) Dhameja titled “Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) through Entrepreneurship and Technopreneurship Development in TVET.”
Throughout the program, participants engaged in expert-led theme paper presentations on the following key topics: sustainable TVET business ventures, green innovation and the circular economy; entrepreneurial intelligence and technopreneurship in the digital economy; opportunity identification; creative transformation in TVET; and innovation financing. Sessions were delivered by Prof. Dr. Dhameja, Prof. Uy, Mrs. Vibeke Lyssand Leirvåg, Chairwoman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT), and Mr. Weerachai Tanglamlert, Senior Vice President of the Government Savings Bank of Thailand.
Learning was further reinforced through group work activities such as Design Thinking Challenge, Business Model Canvas and Innovation Mapping workshops, Technology Integration Mapping for TVET specializations, and action planning sessions. These enabled participants to develop innovative TVET product and service concepts, build scalable business models, and align technology-driven solutions with Industry 4.0.
To enrich the program, a study visit in Artinian Atelier Academy was conducted on January 28, 2026. The delegation toured the Center of Excellence and Community Hall, where the Artinian team presented a specially prepared video, “Every Journey Begins Somewhere,” and showcased Artinian Art Competition works. The activity highlighted the integration of creativity, storytelling, technical training, and sustainability in crafting a product. The Academy also presented its three vocational pillars: practice-led training with over 90% hands-on learning, industry-aligned skill tracks, and discipline-based assessment focused on quality, efficiency, and workplace behavior. The delegation further observed students engaged in hands-on training across the Academy and gained insights into program structures, specialization areas, and the education-to-employment pathway.
The program also conducted a National Conference on “Strengthening TVET through Innovation-Driven Entrepreneurship” on January 29 2026, with sessions led by Mrs. Vibeke Lyssand Leirvåg (top photo) and Dr. Siripan Choomnoom, President of the Institute of Vocational Education Bangkok Council under OVEC (bottom photo).
The in-country program concluded on January 30, 2026. Both CPSC and OVEC expressed their appreciation to the resource persons and participants for their active engagement and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing entrepreneurship, technopreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development in the TVET sector through continued collaboration in Thailand.
A snapshot of the participants with their certificates received during the closing ceremony
