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Asian Institute of Technology MAY 2011

INSIDE ISSUE.. .

100 scholarships for Aceh

Recent News / Happenings at AIT................................................. 2-4People............................................................................................ 5Backpage....................................................................................... 6

A five-yearprograminvolving100 scholarships for staff and faculty mem-bersofGovernmentofAceh,Indonesia,willbelaunchedatAIT.TheGovernmentofAcehwillprovide 75 per cent of tuition fellowships andtransportation, living andother associated cost,whileAITwilloffer25percent tuitionfellow-ship.

ThiswasfinalizedunderaMemoran-dumofAgreement(MoA)signedbytheAITPresident Prof Said Irandoust on 19April2011.“It is indeedaprivilege thatAIThasbeenchosenbytheGovernmentofAcehasakeypartnerinitscapacitybuildingefforts,”Prof.Irandoustremarked.

AIT President Prof. Said Irandoust at the scholarship signing ceromony.

2RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT

AIT donates to JapanAITdonated200,000ThaiBaht to theGovernmentofJapan towards reconstructionactivities followingthedisastersthatstruckJapanon11March2011.The

AIT a ‘natural bridge’ to Africa’s vast opportunities

Prof. Said Irandoust (left) with H.E.Mr. Seuji Kojima

donationwas handed over by Prof. Said Irandoust,President,AIT,totheAmbassadorofJapan,H.E.Mr.SeijiKojimaattheEmbassyofJapan,Bangkokon20April2011. Prof. Irandoust also expressed his sincerecondolencesonbehalfofAIT.ThedonationfromtheAITcommunityfollowedavoluntaryeffortofmanyindividualsandgroups,particularlytheAITStudentUnion, which had organized several activities forfundraising.Mr.LawalUmarKankia,PresidentAITStudentUnion,informedH.E.Mr.Kojimaabouttherange of activities organized by the StudentUnion.Hesaid thatastrongsenseofunityprevailsamongtheAITcommunityinitseffortstohelppeopleinJa-pan,whoareverymuch“apartofAIT.”

AITmovedclosertowardsestablishingasatellitecampusinVietnam,withadelegationheadedbytheViceChairmanofthePeople’sCommitteeofHoChiMinhCity,Mr.HuaNgocThuan,offeringlandand“allsupport”toAITtohelpestablishafull-fledgedAIT-Vietnamcampus. Theeight-memberstrongdelegationfromVietnam,whichvisitedAITon18April2011,statedthattheywouldprepareafinalproposalandcompleteallformalities,sothattheconceptofAITsatellitecampusinVietnamcanbepresentedtotheappropriateauthori-

MAY 2011

AITisanaturalbridgeforconnectingAfricatoSouth-EastAsia.ThiswasstatedbyDr.RolandAmoussou,AITadjunctfaculty, and co-founder and president of theAsia-AfricaFoundation, while addressing nearly 200 delegates at theAfricaandSouth-EastAsiaBusinessForum(AFRICSEA)2011heldfrom19-21April2011atKualaLumpur,Malay-sia. AITwas the sole higher learning institution part-nerfortheeventheldunderthetheme“BringingAfricatoSouthEastAsia.”ApartfromDr.Amoussou,thedelegation

A step forward towards a satellite campus in Vietnam

Mr. Hua Ngoc Thuan

ties.Mr.Thuanstatedthatanarearangingbetween22-25hectareswillbeavailableexclusivelyforAITtoestablishauniversityatHoChiMinhCity.“IhavealreadyinformedtheVicePrimeMinisterofVietnamandtheViceMinisterofEducationabouttheproposaltopartnerwithAITtoestablishaUniversity,”Mr.Thuangadded.

includedMr.G.I.D.Chima,SeniorCounsellor,EconomicMatters,EmbassyofNigeriatoThailand;Mr.JosephBa-zambanza,SeniorPartner,JobazConsulting;andMr.WolfgangBertelsmeier,aformerWorldBankandIFCofficial,andAsia-AfricaFoundationrepresentative.Amongthosewhoattended theForumincludedH.E.Mr.BrunoJeanRichardItoua,MinisterofEnergy&Hydraulic,Congo;H.E.Mr.AlexandreBarroChambrier,MinisterofMiningandOil,Gabon;Dr.NicholasS.Zefferys,President,AmericanMalaysianChamberofCommerce,Malaysia;andDr.MohamedIBNChambas,Secretary-GeneraloftheSecretariatoftheAfrican,CaribbeanandPacificGroupofStates(ACPGroup).

From left to right: Dr. Mohamed IBN Chambas, Mr.Bruno Jean Richard

Itoua, Mr.Alexandre Barro Chambrier and Dr. Nicholas S. Zefferys

3RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT

ARCMDG launches Freedom from Want Freedom from Want,anewmagazineproducedandpublishedbytheASEANRegionalCenterofExcellenceonMillenniumDevelopmentGoals(ARCMDGatAIT),reachedthepublicinearlyApril2011inbothprintandonline. AccordingtoDr.SandroCalvani,DirectorofARCMDGatAITandeditor-in-chiefofthemagazine,Freedom from Want targetsdevelopmentprofessionalsworkinginthefieldwhoseekinnovativeandproper tools toaccelerate sustainabledevelop-ment work to obtain real, concrete development goals. Thepublicationalsoaimstoengagethoseinterestedintheviewsofuniversitylecturersandthoughtleaders,andisnotnecessarilytheprescribedrecommendationsoftheUnitedNations,hesaid.“Webelievethatwecanreach65,000peopleinatleast50Asiancountries,”Dr.Calvanisaid.

AIT organizes UNCSD2012 consultation workshop

AIT and Sweden’s BTH discuss sustainability education

MAY 2011

Blekinge InstituteofTechnology (BTH),Sweden, recentlyplayedhost toAIT,representedbyDr.JonathanShaw,Di-rectorofAITExtension,fordiscussionsonbuildingadual-degreeMaster’sprogramtobelaunchedin2012. Dr.ShawdiscussedcollaborationopportunitieswithProf.AndersHederstierna,ProVice-Chancellor;Mr. IhsanZakri,ProjectCoordinatoratExternalRelations;Dr.StefanSjödahl,ActingDeputyDeanofSchoolofEngineering;andMs.TamaraConnell,ProgrammeDirector of theMaster inStrategic Leadership towards Sustainability Program. ForBTH, thecollaborationwithAIToffers anexcitingoppor-tunity to develop understanding and awareness of sustain-abledevelopmentneeds in theAsiancontext.ForAIT, thecollaborationisattractiveduetoBTH’sstrongreputationinengineering education for sustainable development, which

Dr. Jonathan Shaw (left) and Ms. Tama Connell

AIT organized the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development(UNCSD2012-Rio+20)ConsultationandClimateSustainabilityWorkshop,on5April2011,withMr.UchitadeZoysa,ChairmanofGlobalSustainabilitySolu-tions(GLOSS),makinganardentpleaforensuringthatsustainabledevelopmentandclimatesustainabilityremainthebedrockofthedevelopmentdebate. Mr.Uchitabroughtanactivist’sperspectivetothedebatestatingthatthe“Greeneconomy”modelfocusesmoreonefficiencyratherthansustainability.ThesessionwasapartoftheseriesleadingtotheUNClimateConferenceinBangkok

heldfrom4-8April2011.TheregionalconsultationwitnessedparticipationfromProf.JayantKumarRoutrayofAIT’sSchoolofEnvironment,ResourcesandDevelopment(SERD);Dr.SandroCalvani,Director,ARCMDG;Dr.RiazKhan,Director,YunusCenteratAIT;Mr.PurnaChandraLalRajbhandari,UNEPRRC.AP,leadpersononRio+20relatedactivities;Dr.FazleKarim,Head,InformationTechnologyandEngineeringatAITExtensionaschairperson,andDr.FaizShah,Head,DevelopmentManagement,AITExtensionasthemoderator.

Mr. Uchita de Zoysa

hasearneditthetoprankinginSwedenandthenumberthreerankinEurope.BTHandAITareplanningaone-weekexecutivedevelopmentpro-graminleadershipforsustainability,tobehostedatthemainAITcampusinThailand,inDecember2011.

Dr. Sandro Calvani with the inaugural issue of “Free-dom from Want.”

Thepublicationcanbedownloadedfromthesetwolinks:

•http://www.arcmdg.ait.asia/Magazine.htm•http://issuu.com/arcmdg/docs/magazine

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Agreement between AIT, CIRAD and University of La Réunion, France

NepalEducationFoundation-ConsortiumofColleges(NEF-CCN),Nepal is keen to offer joint programswithAIT.Theseincludeatwo-stageBachelor’sandMaster’sprograms,andafive-yearunifiedBachelor-Master’sdegree. AnMemorandum of Understanding (MoU)signed by Dr. Sriam Bhagut Mathe, Chairperson,NEF-CCN,andProf.SaidIrandoust,President,AIT,proposes offering a two-stageMaster’s program inbusiness administration, environment and energy,andbiotechnology.Atwo-stageBachelor’sprogramin Information and Communication Technologies(ICT) and Civil and Infrastructure Engineering isalso planned. The delegation from NEF-CCN alsoexpressedtheirdesiretoofferProfessionalMaster’sinhydropower,tourismandhospitalitymanagement;apartfromanExecutiveMaster’sinBusinessAdmin-istration(MBA).

RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT

From left: Prof. Mohamed Rochdi, President University of La Réunion, Prof. Sudip Rakshit, and Dr. Gilles Mandret, Regional Director of CI-RAD in Reunion Island and Mayotte.

Nepal delegation signs MoU

MAY 2011

Following a five-day visit by senior officials to theFrench overseasDepartment ofRéunion Island,AITsigned aGeneralDeclaration ofUnderstandingon 9April2011betweenAIT,CIRADandUniversityofLaRéunion,France. The tripartite General Declaration of Under-standing,signedonbehalfofAITbyProf.SudipRak-shit,VicePresidentforResearch,expressestheinten-tiontocollaborateonacademicexchangesofscientistsandfaculty,jointresearch,studentmobility,jointthe-sis,publications,andwillexplorethepossibilityofajointMaster’s program, especiallyoneon ecologicalintensificationresearch.Prof.Rakshitledadelegationfrom4-9April 2011 toReunion.Mr.OlivierDréan,Coordinator of AIT-French collaboration, facilitatedthemission.

Prof. Said Irandoust (left, sitting) signing MoU with Dr. Srigan Bhagut Mathe (right, sitting).

PEOPLE

Mr.NavaneethanNavaratnam, anAIT alumnus fromEnvironmentalEngineering andManagement(EEM)fieldofstudy,hasbeenawardedwiththe“2011RadebaughAward”bytheCentralStatesWaterEnvironmentAssociation(CSWEA),UnitedStates. Whileconveyingthenewsofhisselectionfortheaward,Mr.Navaneethannotonly expressed his gratitude, but he has also dedicated the award to Prof.Chettiyap-panVisvanathanofAIT’sEEMandDr.SamirK.KhanaloftheUniversityofHawaiatMānoa.Prof.VisvanathanwastheChairpersonguidingMr.Navaneethan’sthesiswhen

Mr. Navaneethan Navaratnam

hewaspursuinghisMaster’sinEngineeringatAIT;andDr.Khanal,thenwithIowaStateUniversity,wastheco-chairperson.Inamessagetohisformeradvisors,Mr.Navaneethansays,“Iwouldliketodedicatethisawardtoyouboth.”

AIT alumnus wins award, dedicates to faculty

5PEOPLE

TheOpenHouseorganizedbytheAITon22and29April2011 witnessed participation from interested studentsfromBangkok and neighboring areas.With a desire topursue academics in an international institute of higherlearning like AIT, interested students, some of whomwereaccompaniedbytheirparents,cametolearnabouttheInstitute. WelcomedattheMiltonE.BenderJr.AuditoriumbyMs.WannapaPliansri,Coordinator,RoyalThaiGov-

AIT organizes Open House

MAY 2011

ernmentRelations,andin-charge,GovernmentRelationsUnit(GRU),ExternalRelationsandCommunicationsOffice(ERCO),thestudentswereintroducedtoAITanditsofferings.“AITisaninternationalinstitutewithstudentsfromalmostfourdozencountries,”Ms.Wannapasaid.SheaddedthatanumberofscholarshipsandfellowshipswereavailabletostudentstostudyatAIT.TheInstituteoffersHMKing’sandHMQueen’sSchol-arships,apartfromfellowshipsfromtheRoyalThaiGovernment.Mr.BenjaminA.Gargabite,Coordinator,AdmissionsandScholarships,provideddetailsregardingtheadmissionprocessatAIT.

PEOPLE

Dr. Haneef Mian, anAIT alumnus has beenappointed the LedcorGroup Applied Re-search Chair in OilSands Environmental

Dr. Thirayoot Limanondhas joinedAIT asAssis-tantProfessor in thefieldof Transportation Engi-neering (TRE) in AIT’sSchoolofEngineeringandTechnology (SET). Dr.Thirayoot completed hisSustainability atNorthernAlberta InstituteofTech-

nology(NAIT),Canada.

Dr. Haneef credits AIT for the knowledgegainedduringgraduatestudies,andtheadviceofferedtohimat theEnvironmentalEngineering andMan-agement (EEM)program. “Thegraduate training atAIT-EEMprovidedmewiththestate-of-the-arttools,techniquesandpracticesthatassistedmeinpushingtheenvelope,”hesays.DescribinghisstudiesatAITas“amazing,”Dr.Haneefrecallsthattherewerechal-lengesalongtheway,andthathestillreflectsontheadviceandknowledgegainedduringgraduate stud-ies.“KudostoallformakingmytimeatAITmemo-rable,enjoyableandextremelyproductive,andthankyouforcontributingtomycareer,”hesays.

Dr.Haneef,whowasearlierwiththeEnergyResources Control Board (ERCB), completed hisMaster’sfromAITin1997.

AIT alumnus appointed Ledcor Group Applied Research Chair

Dr Limanond joins AIT

Ph.D. inCivil fromUniversity ofCalifornia,Davis(USA)in2001.HeobtainedhisM.S.inCivilEngi-neeringwithamajorinTrafficEngineeringfromAri-zonaStateUniversity in1997,whilehisBachelor’sinEngineeringwas fromChulalongkornUniversityin1994.

His research interests include sustainabletransport, travel demand, transportation planning,trafficengineering,transportenergyplanningandin-telligenttransportationsystems.PriortojoiningAIT,heservedasAssistantProfessor,SchoolofTranspor-tationEngineering,SuranareeUniversityofTechnol-ogy,Thailand.

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Editor:BajinderPalSingh

MediaSpecialist,AITbajinder@ait.asia

Photos:PaitoonTinnapong

Forfeedback,contactMediaandCommunications

UnitatAITmcu@ait.asia

BACKPAGE

NewsYouCanUse

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Readmoreatthislinkhttp://techcrunch.com/2011/04/24/higher-education%E2%80%99s-toughest-test/

http://goo.gl/qo2sv

Is cost of learning dropping?

Asthelightsdimmedandthespotlightshone,abevyofAIT’sfinestperform-ingartiststooktotheConferenceCen-terauditoriumstageon1April2011tosing,danceandentertain for thesheerloveofperformanceand toshowsoli-darityfor thevictimsof therecentca-tastropheinJapan. AIT Cultural Show 2011 at-tracted a full house of over 500 whowitnessedawidevarietyofactsandna-tionalities compete in singing, drama,talentshow,anddancecompetitions.

Cultural Show 2011: AIT Unites in Solidarity for Japan

Follow AIT at

• Facebookwww.facebook.com/aitasia •Twitterwww.twitter.com/aitasia• Youtubewww.youtube.com/aitasia

MAY 2011

The team from Nepal in the drama competition.

What’s happening at AIT

AITOpenHouse11 May 2011

Videoresearchcompetition19 May 2011

InformationeventforthelaunchofProfessionalMaster’sDegreeinCSR19 May 2011

115thGraduation26 May 2011

Organizedon1April2011underthetheme“WeUniteinSolidarity”theeveningbroughtouttheverybestofwhattheAITCommunityrepresents.Asteamsandindividualsviedforthejudges’approv-al,organizerssaidthecompetitiontookaback-seattothespiritofinternationaltogethernessondisplay.TheGenderandCultureCommitteeoftheAITStudentUnionspearheadedadonationboxforJapanattheauditorium’sentrance,andthecapacitycrowdobservedoneminuteofsilenceforJapanpriortotheshow’sopeningcurtain.