Organizational structure

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation is divided into the following administrative divisions:

(1) Office of the Minister

(2) Office of the Permanent Secretary

(3) Department of Science Service

(4) National Research Council of Thailand

(5) Office of Atoms for Peace

(6) Private Higher Education Institutions

The administrative divisions under (2), (3), (4), and (5) have the status of juristic persons and are departments under the law on the administration of the government.

The administrative division under (6) has the status of juristic persons and has administrative regulations under the law on the establishment of that higher education institution.

The duties and powers of each administrative division are specified in the Ministerial Regulation on the Division of Administrative Divisions.
The Office of the Minister has duties and powers concerning political affairs. The Minister's Secretary, who is a political official, is in charge of civil servants and is responsible for the performance of duties of the Office of the Minister and reports directly to the Minister. There may be one or more Assistant Secretaries to the Minister, who are political officials, to assist in directing or performing duties on behalf of the Minister's Secretary.

The Office of the Permanent Secretary has duties and powers concerning the general administrative affairs of the Ministry. This includes continuously supporting the reform of higher education, science, research, and innovation; overseeing and accelerating the performance of government agencies within the Ministry to align with the national strategy, master plan, higher education plan, science, research, and innovation plan, and other plans; promoting higher education; formulating policy proposals and plans for higher education to produce and develop the country's human resources; managing lifelong education; establishing higher education standards and quality assurance in higher education; creating a higher education database; and analyzing and synthesizing such data for use in higher education development. It also supports the supervision, monitoring, and evaluation according to higher education standards, and serves as the secretariat of the Higher Education Commission and the Higher Education Standards Commission. Furthermore, it is responsible for matters not specifically assigned to any particular government agency within the Ministry by the Cabinet. The Permanent Secretary is the head of the civil service and is responsible for ensuring that government operations comply with the laws, policies, guidelines, and operational plans of the Ministry.

The Department of Science Service has duties and authority related to providing scientific services, overseeing, promoting, and conducting scientific and technological research and development, and serving as a central scientific and technological laboratory for the country to enhance production efficiency and national competitiveness. And for sustainable economic and social development, there is a Director-General who is in charge of civil servants and responsible for ensuring that official duties are carried out in accordance with the laws, policies, guidelines, and operational plans of the Ministry.

The National Research Council of Thailand has duties and powers related to funding research and innovation; creating a national science, research, and innovation database and index; initiating, driving, and coordinating the implementation of important national research and innovation projects; establishing research standards and ethics; promoting and disseminating knowledge for practical use; promoting and supporting the development of research and innovation personnel; and awarding, recognizing, or honoring individuals or organizations in the field of research and innovation. There is a Director, with a rank equivalent to a Director-General, who is in charge of civil servants and responsible for ensuring that official duties are carried out in accordance with the laws, policies, guidelines, and operational plans of the Ministry.

The Office of Atoms for Peace has duties and powers related to recommending policies, guidelines, and strategic plans for the peaceful use of nuclear energy and ensuring safety for users, the public, and the environment through the management of nuclear energy and radiation, and overseeing nuclear and radiation safety to ensure that policies and strategic plans for the peaceful use of nuclear energy comply with international obligations or agreements and international standards. A secretary, holding a rank equivalent to a director-general, is in charge of civil servants and responsible for ensuring that official duties are carried out in accordance with the laws, policies, guidelines, and operational plans of the ministry.

The administrative regulations of state higher education institutions that are government agencies under the ministry shall be in accordance with the relevant laws.

The internal organizational structure of state higher education institutions that are government agencies under the ministry shall be in accordance with the law establishing that institution. For the purpose of receiving government benefits and for the selection of individuals to hold positions according to the constitution or laws, the president of a state higher education institution under the ministry, which is a government agency, shall be considered to hold the position of head of a government agency equivalent to a director-general.