History of the Lampang Rajabhat University Seal

Components of the seal

     The seal is composed of two superimposed ovals. The outer has a single-line border whereas the inner has a double border and this section contains King Bhumipol’s seal. Between the two ovals in the upper half is, written in Lanna- and Khom-style Thai, 'Rajabhat Lampang University' and this is repeated in the Roman alphabet in the lower half.

Colors of the seal

Blue            Represents the Royal institution, which founded and named Rajabhat University.
Green         Represents the locations of the forty Rajabhat universities, which are found in beautiful, natural environments.
Gold            Represents the progress of intellectual life.
Orange       Represents the development of local arts and culture in the forty Rajabhats.
White          Represents the purity of the thoughts of the King's scholars.

History of Lampang Rajabhat University

     Lampang Rajabhat University (LPRU), originally called Lampang Teachers College, was founded on the 9th June 1971 at 119 Lampang-Mae Ta Road, Ban Hua Gnork, Tambon Chompoo, Amphur Muang, Lampang Province.

     The college opened to students the following year and offered courses leading to a teacher’s certificate. The following year, courses leading to a higher teacher’s certificate were added. Following the Teachers College Act of 1975, the Teachers Colleges were able to enroll students on full degree programs in education and Lampang Teachers College began to do so in 1976.

      The Teachers College Act of 1984 also stipulated that Teachers Colleges were now able to offer undergraduate programs in courses other than in education so in 1986 Lampang Teachers College opened courses in liberal arts and in science.

       Lampang Teachers College joined with other Teachers Colleges in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Uttaradit to form the Upper North group of colleges. Following regulations issued by the Teachers Council, these colleges developed into the Lanna Federation of Colleges. In 1985, Lampang Teachers College was appointed to act as host to the offices of the Federation.

       On the 14th February 1992, King Bhumibol, in the Rajabhat Institute Act, changed the name of the Teachers Colleges to ‘Rajabhat Institutes’ and as a result, Lampang Teachers College became Lampang Rajabhat Institute.

       The Rajabhat Institute Act had many consequences for the Institutes, one of which was to broaden the levels of the subjects which they taught; Lampang Rajabhat Institute began to teach master’s-level courses in education administration for executives in 2000 and in education in 2004.

       In terms of joint management of education, in 1993 the Lampang Physical Education College joined with Lampang Rajabhat Institute for a project. Between 1991-1996, Lampang Rajabhat Institute co-operated with Thammasat University to offer an MA in public administration and in 2000, the Institute worked together with Lamphun Technical College for students in informal education.

       On 14th June 2004, the 2004 Rajabhat Universities Act came into effect, promoting Lampang Rajabhat Institute to Lampang Rajabhat University, which now came under the Office of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education.

      Nowadays, Lampang Rajabhat University offers courses at the diploma, bachelor’s and master’s levels in the fields of education, humanities, science, business administration, accounting and law in the faculties of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Management, Science, Agricultural Technology, and Industrial Technology. Four other divisions of the University have a status equivalent to faculties and these work to support the University’s primary educational aims. These are the Office of the President, the Office of Services and Information Technology, the Institute of Research and Development and the Office of Arts and Culture.

      LPRU aims to be one of the leading universities in the north of Thailand and to produce graduates and provide academic services in support of the development of the arts and culture of the community and of the wider society. This follows the eight sections of the 2004 Rajabhat Universities Act, which are concerned with developing education and academic matters, higher vocational training, and research for building and developing new bodes of knowledge such that the University becomes a center of learning for society. This is so that it will be able to provide academic services to society, develop the skills and abilities of teachers and others involved in education, and maintain religious, cultural and artistic traditions and so, in line with Royal thought, support the management of the environment and of the community’s natural resources.