National Institute of Development Administration

The National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) สถาบันบัณฑิตพัฒนบริหารศาสตร์) is the only public higher education institution in Thailand that teaches only at the graduate level (postgraduate) with a strong emphasis on Management, Economics and Sustainable Development. It also has duties in research, training, and other academic services. To government agencies, state enterprises, private businesses and the general public. It is a national prestigious institute that focuses on creating high-level executives.

NIDA is considered the first Thai educational institution to offer a Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. and offered the first MBA program in Thailand. NIDA Business School is consistently ranked among the top in Asia by leading international media. NIDA is one of the country's leading academic institutions in Economics, Finance, and Public Policy. It also has the highest ratio of Ph.D. professors to student numbers and the highest academic positions. It also received the highest evaluation scores from various organizations in Thailand.

There is a wide variety of people involved with the institution, including faculty and alumni. This includes important people in politics, government and business. Whether it is the Thai Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers in ministries, members of the Parliament, members of the Constitution Drafting Assembly. and high level ASEAN’s Nations government officials, NGOs and large business owners in Thailand

NIDA has 10 graduate schools aimed to serve economic and social development such as Graduate School of Public Administration (GSPA), One of the founding schools. NIDA Business School received accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).



History of the institute


NIDA was founded on 1 April 1966. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) was especially interested in economic development. Around 1960, he spoke to Mr. David Rockefeller, an American entrepreneur, about improving national statistics. which is a very important factor in the development of the country And finally, a project was proposed to the government to establish the Institute with initial assistance from the Department of Technical and Economic Cooperation (now USAID), the Ford Foundation, and the Midwest Universities Consortium for International Activities (MUCIA).

At the beginning, NIDA was an autonomous institute affiliated with Thammasat University which ran its own activities and managed its own budget. Later, a merger of the Graduate School of Public Administration (GSPA) of Thammasat University and resources from the National Economic and Social Development Board and National Statistical Office combined to become a full-fledged university concentrating exclusively on graduate studies in fields related to national development.



The purpose of its establishment is to cultivate leaders or executives who will work in various organizations. Produce master's and doctorate degrees to play leadership roles in policy and administration. Both in the government sector at the level of ministries, departments, state enterprises and in various private business sectors. So that all sectors work together to drive development.

NIDA is also a policy research institute that has expertise to providing academic work in response towards development economics, governance, international security and sustainable development.





Notable alumni

 * Somchai Wongsawat, 26th Prime Minister of Thailand.
 * Somkid Jatusripitak, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Thailand.
 * Yongyuth Wichaidit, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior of Thailand, and Leader of Pheu Thai Party.
 * Anupong Paochinda, Minister of Interior in General Prayut Chan-o-cha's administration and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army.
 * Surawit Khonsomboon, Prime Minister's Office, Minister of Thailand, and Deputy Minister of Public Health.
 * Nattawut Saikua, Deputy Minister of Commerce of Thailand and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand.
 * Thaworn Senniam, Deputy Minister of Interior of Thailand.
 * Karoon Sai-ngam, Senator, Buriram province.
 * Apirak Kosayodhin, Governor, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Notable faculty members

 * Thanong Bidaya, Former professor of finance and dean from NIDA Business School who became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance under Chavalit Yongchaiyudh's administration and Thaksin Shinawatra's administration.
 * Wolfgang Drechsler, Tallinn University of Technology and Harvard University, visiting professor
 * Somkid Jatusripitak, Former professor of marketing from NIDA Business School who became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce in Thaksin Shinawatra's administration.