Capacity Development Through Intensive Training of Higher Education Teachers for Implementation of PLC Curricula in South-East Asia

The ASEAN Factori 4.0 project seeks to contribute to the enhancement of education in industrial automation at six Asian universities in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. The paper outlines the steps of teacher-intensive training and evaluates the results, including an analysis of the methodology employed. The training was divided into two parts, each lasting two weeks. Its objective was to prepare teachers and equip them with practical skills to train students in Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and their applications in industrial automation. During the first part (Training 1), Asian teachers underwent training at three EU universities: Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, University of Ruse, and Grenoble Alpes University. The second part (Training 2) took place at the Centres of Excellence established in the six Asian universities: Chulalongkorn University, Mae Fah Luang University, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, National University of Laos, and Savannakhet University. Pre- and Post-surveys were conducted after each training session to assess the participants' knowledge and gather feedback. The Pre-test aimed to evaluate the trainees' level of PLC knowledge, while the Post-test questionnaires collected feedback and assessed the courses' effectiveness. Two Post-tests were designed: one completed after each lab session to adjust training sessions and teaching materials based on the feedback, and another one assessing overall trainee satisfaction. The paper presents an analysis of the results of all surveys and conclusions with regard to the results and the effectiveness of the training are drawn.