About TIME
Music is a subject of great importance in developing quality of life. At this time music education is a necessity and is given a high importance from Thai society. However, there are still missing objectives in education including a missing management system of standards of academic music knowledge, as well as a missing creation of those standards.
Music students, music teachers, and parents have depended on music equivalency exams issued from international exam organizations that have been used in Thailand. These exam systems were initially brought to Thailand in 1963, but have been used primarily for the business purposes of those organizations. These exams did not help to develop academic knowledge of music in the country.
The College of Music, Mahidol University is a leading music institute in Thailand and has been recognized at an international level. It is prepared in every way, including in personnel and equipment for teaching and learning, as well as in the creation of a system to manage the measurement of standards of knowledge in music.
The College of Music, Mahidol University has received the acknowledgement and expectations from society to develop a system of education in music for the country. Therefor the College of Music created the plan to establish the Thailand International Music Examination (TIME), to be the central agency for examinations to measure standards of knowledge in music for the country. This will improve the standards of music education and lead to excellence in the science of music in the forms of Thai music, Folk music, and Western music.
The exam measurement standards in music of the Thailand International Music Examination will help students who study music at special music schools (category 15-2), which are popular throughout the entire country. It will also help all students under the Office of Basic Education, Ministry of Education, including more than 10 million students, who study music as a compulsory subject in schools. Students who study music in these music programs can use the TIME exam system to measure the standards of their music knowledge. This will influence the academic development of music in Thailand to be stronger.