History
In 2011, Khon Kaen University, through the Well-being and Sustainable Development Research Group (WeSD), collaborated with the USAID Sapan Program to implement a project titled “Fostering Civic Awareness for the Promotion of Democracy and Local Governance.” The study found that despite an increase in political awareness among the population, there was still not full engagement in local public affairs. Most civil society practitioners lacked organizational management skills, project management abilities, and were short of personnel, such as in finance and accounting. There was also a lack of continuity in recruiting new personnel. Graduates from higher education institutions (universities) were not motivated to join civil society organizations. These findings led to discussions and the idea that there should be an establishment of centers or institutions dedicated to educating and training a new generation of leaders, and to seriously support work in this area. Considering global trends, it was observed that the civil society sector is growing and is likely to work more with, or in place of, the state in providing various public services, while the role of the state is diminishing.

Khon Kaen University is committed to becoming a leading university in the world and is currently promoting and supporting various collaborations at the regional level. The establishment of such a center will make Khon Kaen University one of the first and leading universities in developing a new generation of leaders, specifically in the area of civil society management. It will also serve as a tool for the university to increase its involvement with networks and partners in the Mekong region and within the ASEAN community.

The project commenced with operational support, leading to the establishment of the Center for Civil Society and Nonprofit Management (CSNM) by Khon Kaen University in 2013, as per the university’s announcement No. 2259/2013 dated October 9, 2013. The CSNM operates under the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, serving as an institution to develop leadership capacities within social sector organizations and nonprofit entities, including executives and project personnel engaged in corporate social responsibility within business organizations.