Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University.

Associate Professor Dr. Vichien Thaveelap

After attending graduate school in the USA through a Royal Thai Government sponsorship, Vichien Thaveelap returned to Thailand in the late 1950’s. She was one of the six people charged with founding what is now the Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University. Although not technically the first Dean of FON CMU, in 1963, Associate Professor Dr. Vichien was appointed Head of the Division of Nursing Midwifery and Health, Chiang Mai Faculty of Medicine. This made her a central figure and leader in the establishment of FON CMU. With experience spanning six decades, Associate Professor Dr. Vichien has been a visionary in the field of nursing in Thailand. With a doctoral degree from Boston University, USA, she affected national policy and standards for nursing education in Thailand. She became Dean of the Faculty of Nursing at Mahidol University, was President of the Nurses Association of Thailand for three terms, and also served as Vice President of the Thailand Nursing Council.

Associate Professor Priap Panyawanit (1972-1978)

Associate Professor Priap Panyawanit was the first Dean of the Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University after serving as Head of the Division of Nursing for several years. Essential in drawing together material resources for the sustainable functioning of the division, Associate Professor Priap also negotiated government funding for nurses to receive graduate-level education. In 1969, she proposed the formation of the Faculty of Nursing, and as distinct from the Faculty of Medicine. She reorganized the department, creating four separate educational programs: the Practical Nursing program, the Diploma program, the Midwifery program, and the Bachelor of Science (Nursing). On the 15th of August, 1972, FON CMU became an official reality, and Associate Professor Priap became the first dean. Having facilitated the Faculty’s independence, she continued as the Dean, leading FON and teaching new nursing students until her retirement in 1978.

Assistant Professor Somchit Patikorn (1978-1986)

With a background in community nursing, Assistant Professor Somchit Pahtikhon was the first elected Dean of FON CMU, and served for two terms. Importantly she provided continuity in relation to the establishment and growth of the faculty. Skilled at fundraising and negotiating with the government’s budget bureau, Dean Somchit helped maintain FON’s financial requirements while enabling the development of the Faculty. Short of space and equipment, she raised money and oversaw the construction of two large buildings to house faculty members and students, directly addressing the needs and expansion of FON. Engaged in networks that tied together nursing education nationally, the time period of Assistant Professor as the Dean also characterized a growing vision for providing high-quality nursing education. The first Master in Nursing Science program of the FON was inaugurated in 1986, the final year of her tenure as the Dean.

Associate Professor Dr. Wichit Srisuphan (1986-1993)
(Presently Professor Emeritus)

Professor Emeritus Dr. Wichit Srisuphan has over 50 years of experience in nursing education, leadership and research. After gaining a DPH from Yale in 1983, Professor Wichit rose quickly to become Dean of FON CMU in 1986. She faced the challenge of enabling faculty members to increase their qualifications and research skills; there were 120 faculty on staff when she became Dean, but only three held PhDs. Growth occurred through a faculty development plan and by Dean Wichit seeking opportunities for faculty members to access advanced study through exchange programs with foreign universities. Significantly, Dean Wichit was part of setting up the highly innovative collaborative PhD program for nurses in Thailand, which began in 1991 and was developed through collaboration between the Faculties of Nursing from Mahidol, Prince of Songkhla, Khon Kaen, and Chiang Mai Universities. Dean Wichit went on to become Chair of the first doctoral program in nursing at FON CMU.

Associate Professor Wilawan Senaratana (1993-2001)

Associate Professor Wilawan Senaratana became Dean in 1993. Still challenged by a lack of resources, she focused on human resource development at the FON, and raising the standards of nursing education throughout the region to meet international standards. Under her guidance, the well-known POHNED program began in 1994, with FON staff facilitating the capacity building of nursing faculty in China to run their own graduate programs. In 1997 FON’s own doctoral nursing program began. Following the regional economic crash, also in 1997, and in response to a loss of funding for overseas education, Dean Wilawan was involved in the development of an international collaborative PhD program that enabled students to attend overseas universities the return to FON CMU to complete their studies. At a time of potential crisis, the Faculty’s global networks and standards of nursing education were enhanced as a result of Dean Wilawan’s leadership and creativity.

Associate Professor Dr. Wipada Kunaviktikul (2001-2009)

When Associate Professor Dr. Wipada Kunaviktikul first assumed the deanship in 2001, the Asian financial crisis beginning in 1997 was still keenly felt, and she continued to guide the Faculty of Nursing towards financial stability and independence. International programs at the bachelor, master, and doctoral levels were offered beginning in 2003. During her tenure, FON established two international centers: a Joanna Briggs Institute (Australia) affiliate in 2002 and a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Development in 2003. She was also able to secure several grants from the China Medical Board and other international agencies to help develop nursing education and research at FON. The China Medical Board provided major funding for the following projects: grants to develop Thai-language nursing textbooks, Program of Higher Nursing Education Development Continuing Education grant to allow POHNED alums to pursue doctoral training at FON; Strengthening Nursing Education in Three Southeast Asian Countries to extend the POHNED program to Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam; creation of two research centers – Nursing Policy Outcome Center and Center of Excellence in Nursing Education and support for an international conference on “New Frontiers in Primary Health Care.”

Associate Professor Dr. Thanaruk Suwanprapisa (2009-2012)

Associate Professor Dr. Thanarak Suwanprapisa studied nursing at Chiang Mai University and became the Faculty’s first male Dean in 2009. Having been an Assistant President for Student Affairs at Chiang Mai University, Associate Professor Dr. Thanaruk was well-positioned to facilitate administrative transition at FON. At the time he became dean, the University changed from being a government to an autonomous university, with a series of curriculum developments required and rules and regulations to which the Faculty needed to adhere. As Dean Thanarak oversaw the process and the restructuring of eight nursing departments into one administrative body. He enabled the Faculty to move forward structurally while working with a strong team to maintain the quality of training for new nurses. As a result, even while having undergone a major internal restructuring process, the Faculty maintained its position as one of the leaders in nursing education in Thailand.

Professor Dr. Wipada Kunaviktikul (2012-2020)

Professor Dr. Wipada Kunaviktikul has the distinction of serving as Dean for two administrations for a total of four non-consecutive terms. No other Dean has had as long a tenure, nor as large an impact on the Faculty of Nursing. She was reelected in 2012 and focused on the financial stability of FON, building infrastructure, growing FON’s international degree programs, and expanding FON’s international presence. She is the founding member of the Southeast an East Asian Nursing Education and Research Network, a Chiang Medical Board initiative to build academic connections in ASEAN. Overall, her administrative guidance and capacity building led the FON to receive the Thailand Quality Class award in 2019, the first Faculty of Nursing in Thailand to ever receive this prestigious award.

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