This study aims to describe the concept of 21^st-century lecturer competencies in higher educational institutions in Thailand through a literature review. The higher educational institutions in Thailand recognize the importance of designing frameworks of lecturer competencies in the institutions to be guidelines for the lecturers to perform their duties under the standard of the institutions and the context of educational management in the 21st century. Competency means the ability, skills, as well as qualifications of a person to be accepted for a certain profession or occupation, and is important for enhancing a person to perform their work to successfully achieve the target goal of the organization. Besides, competency is a guideline for any profession since it is specifically set for a specific profession. Competency standard framework for each of professions is important for human resource management, holistically, in the efficiency and effectiveness of the staff in organizations. Moreover, it is also a guideline to develop skills and ability in working to be accepted as a professional standard, organizational standard, national standard, and international standard. Competency is made up of the following elements: 1) Skill, 2) Knowledge, 3) Self-image/Attributes, 4) Traits, and 5) Motive. There are four competencies of the lecturers in the higher education institutes under the context of educational management in the 21st century, including 1) Instructional management competency, 2) Knowledge competency, 3) academic innovative competency, and 4) self-practice competency.