Naresuan University, situated in Phitsanulok, the birth place of King Naresuan the Great who won an historically significant battle against the insurgent Burmese and helped Siam enter a golden era, is the centre of education in this region. It was inaugurated as a College of Education some 23 years ago with the goal of bringing higher education into rural areas. In1974 it was up-graded to a full university and became known as Srinakarinwirote University. It later became Naresuan University in 1990 in accordance with the national development policy.

The university is now in full operation in the lower northern region of Thailand. It has both undergraduate and graduate programmes in the Faculties of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Medical Science, Pharmacy, Humanities and Social Science, Science, Engineering, and Education. The university offers 12 graduate programmes, one one-year graduate diploma and 41 undergraduate courses.

The university has regular daytime and evening programmes as well as special Saturday-Sunday programmes. In 1996 its student population was 9,579 of which 6,205 were studying at undergraduate level and 3,347 were studying at graduate level. The Faculty of Humanities and Social Science has recently set up a Language Centre in cooperation with the Language Centre of the University of New Castle. This Language Centre runs a wide variety of intensive language courses throughout the year.

Naruesuan University boasts a sprawling campus beautifully landscaped by an expert team from the Faculty of Agriculture and is certainly one of the most magnificent in the country. Just inside the front gate and set among the greenery is a magestic statue depicting King Naresuan The Great declaring independence from Burma. Walking along the university’s sidewalks, visitors and residents alike can enjoy the fresh air while taking in the beautiful surroundings.