Addressing the Whole Student: Benefits of Developing the Counseling Center in Thai Higher Education

The counseling center in Thai higher education is a little discussed topic and a paucity of research exists in this area. Research in America and England has given attention to the increased demand for the counseling center and the consequent need to enhance and develop the counseling center to meet its current challenges. In Thai higher education the counseling center is nascent. The first purpose of the present paper is to delineate the benefits of the counseling center to Thai higher education institutes. Topics covered include holistic education, noncognitive factors in student success, and retention. Secondly, practical implications of developing the university counseling center are explored, in terms of gaps in the research and directions in future research. This paper is the first on its subject in English, hence it may stimulate a needed conversation as well as help to advance the knowledge base.