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Nepal President, PM Praise AIT Resident of Nepal, Rt

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Nepal President, PM Praise AIT Resident of Nepal, Rt 1 Asian Institute of Technology JULY 2011 AIT President Prof. Said Irandoust (left) with Prime Minister of Nepal, Rt. Honorable Mr. Jhala Nath Khanal (right). Nepal President, PM praise AIT resident of Nepal, Rt. Honorable Dr. The Nepal President referred to the positive P Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister Rt. experience of his son when he was studying at Honorable Jhala Nath Khanal praised the Asian AIT, stating that AIT enjoys a prestigious place in Institute of Technology (AIT), and thanked the the realm of education. The Nepal Prime Minister Institute for its contribution towards development extended the Government of Nepal’s unequivocal of human resources in Nepal. They made these support in expediting the ratification process of remarks in separate meetings with an AIT the new AIT Charter, which was endorsed by the delegation led by the AIT President Prof. Said Nepal Council of Ministers in its meeting held on Irandoust on 16 June 2011. 15 June 2011. INSIDE ISSUE.. Recent News / Happenings at AIT................................................. 2-4 New Programs............................................................................... 5 Backpage....................................................................................... 6 RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT JULY 2011 2 UNESCO delegation for partnership on sustainability issues UNESCO is working on mainstreaming the issue of climate change in curricula and is keen to develop sustainable devel- opment indicators. UNESCO Bangkok is also keen on policy initiatives, and it wish- es to tap the expertise available at AIT. From left to right: Ms. Vimonmas Pam Vachatimanont, Ms Katie Vanhala, This was the sentiment expressed by a del- Ms. Lay-Cheng Tan and Ms. Jiaming Ju. egation of UNESCO which visited AIT on 27 June 2011. The delegation included Ms. Vimonmas Pam Vachatimanont and Ms Katie Vanhala of Education for Sustainable Development Unit (ESD); Ms. Lay-Cheng Tan and Ms. Jiaming Ju of Asia-Pacific Programme of Educational Innovation for De- velopment (APEID). PACT for pact with AIT UNISDR for AIT’s participation in Global Assessment Report The United Na- tions International Strategy for Di- saster Reduction Mr. Kurt MacLeod (UNISDR) is keen to associate with PACT, an American-based NGO, is open AIT in the prepa- to developing a strategic partnership with ration of the Glob- Mr. Jerry Velasques AIT. This message was delivered by Mr. al Assessment Re- Kurt MacLeod, Associate Vice President port (GAR). This was stated by Mr. Jerry Velasques, for Asia/Eurasia, PACT, during an ex- Senior Regional Coordinator, UNISDR for Asia and ploratory meeting with AIT officials on Pacific, at a meeting held at AIT on 3 June 2011. 21 June 2011. Mr. Macleod led a delega- tion to AIT that included Mr. Siddhi Aryal, Interacting with the AIT President and other senior Deputy Chief of Party, GMR Program, faculty and staff members, Mr. Velasquez stated that Pact Thailand, and Ms. Jarusri Jiravisitkul, the two had collaborated during the Asia Pacific Di- Corporate Community Engagement Coor- saster Report in 2010. “We know the strengths of AIT dinator, Pact Thailand. and we are keen to learn more about other possibilities “AIT is a leader many fields in the region,” of collaboration particularly in undertaking analytical Mr. Macleod told AIT officials, outlining work,” he said. Mr. Velasquez was leading a five mem- his organization’s interest in exploring ber UNISDR team comprising of Ms. Hang Thi Thanh a partnership. He described how AIT’s Pham, Mr. Sujit Mohanty, Ms. Madhavi Malalgoda name and its mission were mentioned at a Ariyabandu, and Mr. Abhilash Panda (Regional Pro- forum, encouraging PACT to visit AIT and gramme Officers). look for a long-term partnership. RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT JULY 2011 3 “Asian Prefab Technology for Budget Housing” seminar for Africa A seminar “Asian Prefab Technology for Budget Housing” hosted by AIT on 16-17 June 2011 brought together African diplomats, academics, engineers, and businessmen to network on how Asian construc- tion technology and expertise can address Africa’s large need for affordable housing. Organized by the Asiafrica Foundation with the sup- From left to right: Mr. Shuji Okumoto, Mr. Katsuyuki Kitagawa, port of AIT Extension, and sponsored by Thai Design Mr. Velelo G. Kwepile, and Dr. Roland Amoussou-Guenou Consortium (TDC), the seminar attracted the par- AIT adjunct faculty member, Dr. Roland Amoussou- ticipation of senior executives of International Dome Guenou, prominent participants included Mr. Vichit House (IDH), Japan, as well as representatives of Thai Chinalai, President of TDC; Mr. Velelo G. Kwepile, firms Thai Design Consortium, Thai Center of Stan- Political Counselor, Embassy of South Africa; Mr. dard Engineering, Shera, and the Habitech Center of Geoffrey Chima, Counselor, Embassy of Nigeria; and AIT. According to Asiafrica Foundation President and Mr. Katsuyuki Kitagawa, IDH CEO and President. APWF holds knowledge hub workshop Asia Pacific Water Forum Hub for Groundwater Management, IGES, said they (APWF) held its pre-launch had chosen AIT as its venue for the pre-launch work- workshop of the launch of shop since the Institute is known for its research the “Regional Water Knowl- and education in Asia and beyond. In his welcome edge Hub for Groundwater remarks Prof. Said Irandoust, President, Asian In- Management” at AIT on 1 stitute of Technology (AIT) thanked AIT’s partners June 2011. Speaking on the for selecting AIT as a venue for its pre-launch work- Ms. Yatsuka Kataoka occasion, Ms. Yatsuka Kata- shop. Prominent participants included Mr. Héctor oka of the Institute for Global Environment Strate- Garduňo, formerly of Groundwater Management gies (IGES), stated that the APWF knowledge hub is Advisory Team (GWMATE); Dr. Neno Kukuric, a major initiative of knowledge sharing and capacity Director, International Groundwater Resources As- development. sessment Centre (IGRAC); and Dr. Sangam Shrestha of the Water Engineering and Management (WEM) Ms. Kataoka, who is the Coordinator of Knowledge field of study at AIT. ADB-JSP to continue scholarships at AIT Asia Development Bank- strengthen its interaction with its alumni. This Japan Scholarship Pro- was stated by Mr. Kazuo Kojima, Senior Financ- gram (ADB-JSP) is keen ing Partnerships Specialist, Office of Cofinanc- to continue scholarships ing Operations, ADB, at a meeting at AIT on 27 for Asian Institute of June 2011. He also met recipients of the ADB-JSP Technology (AIT) stu- scholarships. dents. It also wishes to Mr. Kazuo Kojima RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT JULY 2011 4 AIT participates in Second Social Business Day AIT participated in the second annual Social Business Day events held on 28 June 2011 at Dhaka, Bangladesh. The theme for this year was “Achieving the Millennium Development Goals through Social Busi- ness”. Dr. Riaz Khan, Director, Yunus Center at AIT, was a panelist during the morning session where he spoke of using social business to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Apart from Dr. Riaz Khan, the AIT delegation comprised of Dr. Jona- Prof. Muhammad Yunus (second from right) along with the AIT delegation than Shaw, Director AIT Extension; and Dr. Faiz Shah, Head, Develop- ment Management, AIT Extension. Membrane technology was PEOPLE pioneered at AIT: alumnus The Membrane Recognition Bio Reactor tech- AIT alumna Ms. Binda Pandey has nology was pio- been elected as Deputy Member neered at AIT in of the Governing Body of the the nineteen eight- International Labour Organization ies when the idea (ILO), a United Nations specialized of submerged Prof. K. Baskaran agency. Her election took place at membranes was the 100th Session of the International experimented. AIT alumnus and Associate Ms. Binda Pandey Labour Conference held from 1-17 Dean (International) of Deakin University, June 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland. Australia, Prof. K. Baskaran, stated this at a She graduated from AIT’s Gender and Development Studies special lecture on “Application of a hybrid (GDS) in 2002. Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR) system to treat priority pollutants from agricultural Farewell runoffs.” Dr. Paul Janecek, Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Information Prof Murai speaks on Management (CSIM) Field of Study at AIT’s School of Engineering Japan disasters and Technology (SET) has left AIT Prof. Shunji Mu- effective from 30 June 2011. Dr. rai, Professor Janecek joined AIT in January 2005. Emeritus, Uni- Dr. Paul Janecek versity of Tokyo, Ms. Ann V. Lopez-Fontanilla, Head Japan shared his Students, has left AIT effective from first-hand insights 30 June 2011. She joined AIT in May of the disaster with Prof. Shuji Murai 1994. an AIT audience at a multimedia seminar titled “Lessons from the Recent Catastrophic Earthquake and Tsunami in East Japan” on 1 June 2011. Ms. Ann V. Lopez- Fontanilla NEW PROGRAMS JULY 2011 5 International Bachelor-Master AIT and Rangsit University (RSU) have joined forces to offer a new Unified International Bachelor- Degree program in engineering Master Degree program in engineering that enables with RSU students in Thailand to earn both an undergraduate and graduate degree in five years. The English-only Unified Program allows students to earn a Bachelor’s in engineering from RSU, and then further their graduate-level engineering studies at AIT. RSU will initially offer a Bachelor of Engi- neering (B.Eng.) in Civil Engineering, Electrical En- gineering and Computing Engineering. The Memo- randum of Agreement (MoA) between AIT and RSU From left to right: Prof. Said Irandoust, H.E. Dr. Tej Bunnag and was signed on 2 June 2011. Prof. Arthit Urairat, President, RSU. Unified Bachelor-Master program launched in India A Unified Bachelor-Master-Program (UBMP) in the Agribusiness Management (ABM) was formally launched on 13 June 2011 at the Sam Higginbot- tom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sci- ences (SHIATS), Allahabad, India. The inaugural ceremony was attended by Prof. S. B. Lal, Pro Vice Chancellor, SHIATS, and Dr. Weerakorn Ongsakul, Dean, AIT’s School of Environment, Resources and AIT delegation at the SHIATS Campus.
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