QS ImpACT Awards

Dr. Pairach Piboonrungroj

Dr. Pairach Piboonrungroj is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Chiang Mai University and currently serves as Assistant to the President, leading strategic initiatives on sustainability, societal engagement, and the Creative Lanna agenda. His work focuses on connecting higher education, policy innovation, and social impact to advance sustainable development at institutional, community, and international levels.

He holds a PhD in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Cardiff University, where he also received the Harry Boer Highly Commended Award for outstanding doctoral research. His academic and professional expertise spans sustainable development, SDG implementation, impact measurement and management (IMM), Social Return on Investment (SROI), creative economy, tourism and hospitality, supply chain sustainability, and public policy evaluation.

Dr. Pairach is a UNDP SDG Impact Standards Accredited Trainer and a Social Value International (SVI) Social Value Associate. He has worked extensively with universities, government agencies, local communities, industry partners, and international organizations to design and evaluate initiatives that generate measurable social, environmental, and economic impact.

At Chiang Mai University, he plays a key role in driving the university’s “SDG Impact & Beyond” strategy, integrating sustainability into research, innovation, education, and community engagement. He is also the founder and director of research and innovation platforms that support interdisciplinary collaboration in areas such as creative economy, wellness tourism, sustainable coffee and tea industries, and regional development in Northern Thailand.

His work has contributed to international dialogues on ESG, SDGs, social innovation, and sustainable tourism through conferences, policy platforms, and impact-focused networks across Asia and beyond. As a judge for the QS ImpACT Awards, Dr. Pairach brings expertise in evaluating real-world societal impact, stakeholder engagement, sustainability integration, and evidence-based impact assessment frameworks.