In 2008, Mahidol University conducted a study to determine the possibility of creating an international demonstration school as a feeder school for the university. In 2010, the university assembled a board of directors who lead the creation of MUIDS. The school officially opened in the fall of 2013 and graduated its first senior class in the summer of 2016.
Curriculum
The core curriculum at MUIDS is supported by coursework in required electives and career-based electives. Advanced Placement courses are also available for students. The Thai Ministry of Education mandates that all students take Thai Language and Civics courses. Native and non-native speakers take separate classes. Some faculties in Thai universities require significantly more math and science credits than international universities. MUIDS counselors help students navigate this complex process. The school combines the Thai Ministry of Education and American Common Core Standards. Students are required to earn twenty community service hours per year as well as one hundred learner development hours through clubs and activities. They may choose from several electives such as Intro to Software Engineering, Zoology, and even Entrepreneurship.
School year
The MUIDS school year begins in August and ends in June. It consists of one hundred and eighty school days stretched across four quarters. The school observes Thai and Buddhist holidays as well as certain Western holidays. The academic program is organized on a period schedule. Classes are year-long; each period meets anywhere from one to five times a week. MUIDS students earn a minimum of 81 credits over a three-year period. They must earn at least 27 credits every school year. At the end of the school year students and teachers participate in “Week Without Walls,” spending a week of school outside of the classroom learning in a non-conventional environment. This one-week trip always takes place outside the city of Bangkok.
Extracurricular activities
The student activities program is designed to complement and enrich the academic program as well as provide avenues for further development. More than thirty after school activities and clubs are available for students. Among them are Model United Nations, Junior Achievement, and Yearbook. MUIDS sports teams compete with other schools throughout Thailand. Thai students can also join ROTC.
Faculty
67 faculty members work at MUIDS. Roughly one third are Thai nationals, one third are Americans, and around ten percent are British. Remaining teachers come from Bangladesh, India, the Netherlands, the Philippines, and Canada. Over a third hold master's degrees.
Student body
664 students currently attend MUIDS of which the majority are Thai. Just over 80% of them live in the greater Bangkok area, while the remaining Thai students come from other Thai provinces. Non-Thai students are Japanese, Kuwaitis, Taiwanese, Chinese, Bahraini, Vietnamese, and Korean.
