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Post Flood Projects TABLE OF CONTENTS AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 2 One year after the devastating flood inundated the pristine campus of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) on 21 October 2011, the Institute continues to traverse its journey relentlessly and undeterred. Despite its worst crisis in history, the Institute continues to win laurels. This document provides a representative sampling of AIT’s work and achievements during the past eight months. Graduations 3 Events 4 New initiatives 10 Charter 13 Partner support 15 Visitors/Meetings 16 Honors 19 Book releases 21 Alumni 23 Donations 24 Outreach/Projects 26 Reconstruction 28 GRADUATIONS AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 3 AIT celebrates 116th Graduation, three months after flood devastates campus A total of 243 students from 25 countries representing Asia, Africa, Europe and South Ameri- ca were conferred with graduate degrees. The delay in graduation was only four weeks. 117th AIT Graduation, first under International Intergovernmental Organization era A total of 425 students from 25 countries in Asia, Africa, Eu- rope, and North America were conferred with postgraduate degrees. The delay in graduation was only two weeks. EVENTS AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 4 HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visits AIT exhibit HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously visited the AIT booth during her official tour of the annual National Science & Technology Fair at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) on 22 August 2012. Nepal PM reaffirms support to AIT Council, says country is proud to be a member Prime Minister of Nepal H.E. Rt. Hon. Dr. Baburam Bhattarai reaffirmed Nepal’s support and commitment to the AIT Charter. The AIT President met the Nepal PM twice, in July and October 2012. APMUN - where people enter as junior delegates, and leave as diplomats 350 young college and university students from 48 countries participated in the Asia-Pacific Internation- al Model United Nations (APMUN) event organized in the precincts of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ES- CAP) in Bangkok on 20 September 2012. TNA Project meeting with AIT as Asia-CIS Region Lead Organization AIT hosted the global-level Technology Needs As- sessment (TNA) Project’s “Experience Sharing Workshop” as the Asia-CIS Region Lead Organiza- tion from 10-12 September 2012. EVENTS AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 5 53rd Anniversary Highlighting its special linkages to South-East, South and East Asia, AIT celebrated 53 years of operation in Thailand on 7-8 September 2012. SAARC AIT President met Secretary- General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), H. E. Mr. Ahmed Saleem, at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu, Nepal on 11 October 2012. Kurunegala Municipal Council Mayor compliments AIT for Low Carbon initiative Mayor of Sri Lankan Kurunegala Municipal Council Hon. A. Gamini Peramunage complimented the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) for initiating the Low Carbon Cities project in his city. EVENTS AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 6 400 students from 28 countries join AIT Four hundred postgraduate students from 28 countries, spread across five continents (Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia and South America) joined AIT on 10 August 2012. 40 Myanmar students arrive under Norwegian scholarship Forty new postgraduate students from Myanmar under a landmark scholarship program of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA) kicked-off their academic careers at AIT by attending a special orientation program on 16 July 2012. AIT welcomes its newest undergraduates One hundred and fourteen undergraduates from six countries (Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal) joined AIT officially at its Orientation held on 3 September 2012. EVENTS AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 7 AIT President called on President of Nepal Rt. Hon. Dr. Ram Baran Yadav during a visit to Kathmandu. Vietnam Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Ngo Duc Thang reviews AIT rebuilding work, meets Vietnamese community. ‘Smart Province’ Nakhon Nayok partners with AIT AIT is an undisputed pioneer in the field of education: Bhutan AIT signed a MoU on 26 June 2012 Minister with Nakhon Nayok Governor Dr. Surachai Srisaracam, supporting its Minister of Labor and Human Resources, bid to become Thailand’s first “smart Government of Bhutan, H.E. Mr. Dorji province” and intelligent community Wangdi described AIT as a “great seat of prototype for the fast-emerging learning,” and an “undisputed pioneer in ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) the field of education.” in 2015. EVENTS AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 8 International Women’s Day AIT seminar presents lessons from the celebrated Thailand flood The theme for International Women’s Experts presented their views at a seminar on “Lessons from Day this year was “Empower Rural the Thailand flood,” which was jointly organized by AIT and Women – End Hunger and Poverty.” ASEAN Affairs in association with the Center for Advanced Infrastructure Technology, University of Mississippi. Mini Olympics at AIT Graduation Night by AIT AIT Marathon and Mini Olympics were organized by the AIT Student Union Students Union in April 2012. “The Night of Stars” was the theme of the graduation night party. EVENTS AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 9 AIT students give to Thai orphanage AIT’s Student Union opened up its wallet and heart by donating 16,000 Thai Baht to a rural orphanage in Thailand run by the organization “Baan Unrak” or House of Joy. Spirit of togetherness marks AIT Cultural Show 2012 The auditorium of AIT’s Conference Center, which was deluged in October 2011, became an arena where togetherness and interna- tionality was on display during the AIT Cul- tural Show held on 21 April 2012. AIT’s top talent draws interest at Career Fair 2012 Professional recruiters from 31 en- SU Research Poster Showcase shines terprises set up booths across the spotlight on AIT students’ work expanse of the vacant ground floor of the library at the AIT Career Fair 20 research posters from AIT’s three Schools were displayed on 25 April 2012. on 29 May 2012 showcasing students’ research work. EVENTS AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 10 AIT Returns Home Experts discussed about sustainability at the program “AIT Returns Home: Towards a Sustain- able Future,” which was organized to mark AIT’s return to its home campus on 24 February 2012. Completion ceremony of Professional Master's in Banking and Finance Adaptation Forum 2012 Twenty-one students were awarded professional AIT and UNEP’s Regional Resource Centre transcripts at the completion ceremony of the for Asia and Pacific (RRC.AP) were prominent Professional Master’s In Banking and Finance partners in organizing Adaptation Forum 2012 at (PMBF) program by AIT on 9 March 2012. UN ESCAP headquarters in Bangkok on 12-13 Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand, H.E. March 2012. Mr. Kazi Imtiaz Hossian graced the occasion. NEW INITIATIVES AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 11 AIT has always been known for its new initiatives. Despite the flood, AIT has continued to move ahead, be it dual doctoral programs, scholarships or its new Research Strategy. New AIT Research Strategy 2012-2016 will change AIT, VP Research assures AIT launches its first dual doctoral program with Sokendai, Japan iPad, iPhone, Android and Kindle versions of AIT Newsletter launched AIT unveils 40 annual Norwegian QR Codes for AIT scholarships for Myanmar students launched NEW INITIATIVES AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 12 AIT launches Bachelor’s Remote Sensing Technology program in Bio-systems Center of Japan (RESTEC) signs Engineering and Environmental MoU with AIT Engineering Remote Sensing Technology Center of AIT launched a four-year collaborative Japan (RESTEC) signed a MoU promote international Bachelor’s degree programs in research and dissemination of remote sensing Bio-systems Engineering and Environmental technology in the region. Engineering with SAITM, Sri Lanka. Deal with China’s GESIE Tian AIT and CSR Asia renew He Center positions partnership for ten more years AIT inked a MoU with Guangdong Edu- cation Service of International Exchang- Hong Kong based CSR Asia Ltd. and es TianHe Center (GESIE) to establish AIT extended their existing partnership a foothold for academic partnerships in for the next ten years. Guangdong province. NEW INITIATIVES AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 13 AIT the hub for international effort to map Philippine flood from space As the Philippines struggled with devastating floods, Dr. Masahiko Nagai of AIT’s SET emerged as the focal point of an international effort to produce satellite imagery and high resolution maps to aid disaster relief operations. SU welcomes you to Your AIT story “Familiar strangers” is how Ms. Wang Lin, a Master’s student at AIT describes a lot of AITians as she launched a weekly know your fellow AITians column titled “Your AIT story.” Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Raipur ties up Colorado State University and AIT to develop joint research Indian Institute of Crop Processing program Technology tie up Colorado State University (CSU), Fort Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology Collins, Colorado, USA and AIT signed an (IICPT) signed an MoU on 25 June 2012. MoU on 10 August 2012. CHARTER AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 14 Government of Bangladesh Viet Nam joins AIT Council ratifies the AIT Charter Viet Nam became the fifteenth signa- tory and the eighth country to ratify the Bangladesh became the seventh country to AIT Charter. It became the first ASEAN ratify the new AIT Charter at the meeting of country to ratify the Charter. the Council of Ministers of Bangladesh held at the capital city of Dakha on 2 January 2012. Cambodia joins AIT Council Cambodia deposited the Instrument of Acceptance to the AIT Charter with the Royal Thai Government on 3 September 2012 becoming the ninth country to do so.
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