UON education partner receives MBE

An education professional in Thailand who has been a partner of University of Northampton (UON) for 13 years has been given the royal seal of approval.

Mr Harshi Sehmar – a UON Changemaker Award winner – was honoured with the prestigious Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by King Charles III on 14 June 2024.

This significant recognition underscores Harshi’s exceptional contributions to special needs education in Thailand over the span of 29 years.

Harshi’s dedication to special needs education is deeply personal. As a child overcoming dyslexia, he experienced the challenges first hand, inspiring his commitment to supporting and empowering students facing learning difficulties. His academic accomplishments include a B.Ed. (Hons) in Education and an MA in Special Needs Education, laying the foundation for his impactful career.

Today, he is Principal of the Village International Education Centre, a visiting professor at Chulalongkorn University, ABAC & Asia-Pacific International University and advisor to Chulalongkorn University on their degree programs and special needs policy and practice.

Establishing the Village in 1999 as a school exclusively for children with special needs, Harshi’s vision has transformed countless lives. The Village is seen as possibly one of its kind in SE Asia and over the years his school has supported hundreds of children from 2 years to 22 years with varying special needs.

Through innovative initiatives such as founding the Special Needs Research Centre at Chulalongkorn University and pioneering inclusive educational programs, he has shaped the landscape of special education in Thailand. His work in pioneering an innovative approach to assessing and diagnosing Dyslexia among children in Thai schools is especially noteworthy.

Harshi’s collaborations with academic institutions like Chulalongkorn University, Thailand and University of Northampton have led to the development of courses and training programs tailored to special needs education including the MA degree in Special Needs Education and iQTS from UON. His efforts extend beyond conventional boundaries, encompassing mentorship programs for economically disadvantaged students and refugee communities, ensuring equitable access to quality education.

Recognised as the International Changemaker of the Year 2023 by the University of Northampton and the recipient of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion award from the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) in 2023, Harshi’s unwavering dedication to diversity and inclusion sets a benchmark for educational leadership.

Dr Jacob Saranga, Dean of Faculty of Health, Education and Society, says: “Harshi Sehmar’s Order of the British Empire is testament to a lifetime dedication to furthering and enhancing special educational needs and inclusion. For the past 13 years Harshi has been a partner of the University, mainly in the areas of postgraduate study and professional development.

“This close working has helped the University to strengthen its commitment to social impact as a global ‘changemaker’ as many regional education and societal areas in Thailand have been developed. Harshi’s next project with UON will be in helping us run, in Bangkok, Thailand, the International Qualified Teacher Status which we look forward to staring in January next year.

“From the Education team at UON and myself, we extend our deepest congratulations to Harshi at this auspicious time.”

The conferment of the MBE upon Harshi Sehmar not only celebrates his individual accomplishments but also symbolizes a collective commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all children with special needs in Thailand and beyond.