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APRIL 2018
Asian Institute of Technology
APRIL 2018
Foreign Minister of Bangladesh H.E. Mr. Abul Mahmood Ali, and Foreign Minister of Thailand, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai jointly inaugurate the Bangabandhu Chair and unveil a commemorative plaque at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
BANGABANDHU CHAIR INAUGURATED AT AIT
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Bangabandhu Chair on Sustainable Energy was formally inaugurated at the Asian Institute on 15 March 2018 following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AIT and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh. Prof. Joyashree Roy delivered the first Bangabandhu lecture. Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, H.E. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali signed the citation of Bangabandhu Chair Professor at AIT. The MoU was signed by Mr. Md. Mahbub-uz-Zaman, Secretary, (Asian and Pacific), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh, and AIT President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai. A sapling of
Bangladesh Dinajpur Litchi was also planted by the visiting Foreign Minister at AIT. Dr. Subin Pinkayan, Chairperson of AIT Board of Trustees; H.E. Nasrul Hamid, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources of Bangladesh; and Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand, H.E. Saida Muna Tasneem were the distinguished guests at the occasion. In a related event organized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Ministers of Thailand, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, and Bangladesh H.E. Mr. Abul Mahmood Ali jointly inaugurated the Bangabandhu Chair and unveiled a commemorative plaque. Details at this link: https://goo.gl/mPNkDc See also Page 2.
I NS I DE I S S UE . . . Photo Gallery...................................................................................2
Recent News / Happenings at AIT..................................................3-4 Seminars / Workshops / Career Fair...............................................5 Backpage.......................................................................................6
PHOTO GALLERY APRIL 2018
Bangabandhu Chair Professor at AIT: 15 March 2018
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RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT APRIL 2018
Indonesian Ambassador pays maiden visit, assures full support Ambassador of Indonesia to Thailand, H.E. Ambassador Ahmad Rusdi assured AIT of full support as he welcomed cooperation between AIT and higher education institutions in Indonesia. On his maiden visit to AIT on 5 March 2018, Ambassador Rusdi spoke of the importance of international cooperation and stressed the need for educational partnerships. Greeted at AIT by President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, the ambassador highlighted the importance of economy, infrastructure, defence and education, particularly in the context of ASEAN. Prof. Worsak spoke of the historical relations between AIT and Indonesia. “Indonesia has been a member of the AIT Board of Trustees since 1968,” Prof. Worsak remarked.
H.E. Ambassador Ahmad Rusdi
AIT is very popular in Viet Nam: Ambassador AIT is “very popular” and “prestigious” in Viet Nam, and almost everyone knows about the Institute. These were the remarks of the Ambassador of Viet Nam, H.E. Mr. Nguyen Hai Bang, during his maiden visit on 12 March 2018. Ambassador Bang mentioned that since AIT had established an early presence in Viet Nam, it provided a link for Vietnamese students to pursue higher education in a foreign country. Recounting that AIT alumni have reached senior positions in many diverse fields in Viet Nam, the ambassador added that his visit was targeted at ascertaining ways to work together. “AIT is a high priority institute, and we will try and contribute towards the development of AIT,” he added.
H.E. Mr. Nguyen Hai Bang
Canada for enhanced cooperation with AIT Canadian universities can look towards an increased academic and research collaboration with AIT, as the country enhances its engagement in the ASEAN region. Recent governmental initiatives, which include encouraging Canadian students to travel abroad, as well as a concerted focus on gender components in all programs can unlock numerous possibilities for collaboration between AIT and Canadian universities. These were the remarks of H.E. Mrs. Donica Pottie, Ambassador of Canada to Thailand, during her visit to AIT on 26 March 2018. The Ambassador was accompanied by Prof. Malcolm Butler, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Saint Mary’s University, Canada.
H.E. Mrs. Donica Pottie (left) and Prof. Malcolm Butler.
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RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT
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APRIL 2018
QS Rankings by Subjects 2018 ranks AIT in eight subject areas The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) has been ranked among the top universities in eight subject areas, according to the QS Top Universities 2018 Rankings by Subject released on 28 February 2018. Civil and Structural Engineering (ranked between 101-150) and Architecture and Built Environment (101-150) are two subjects where AIT is ranked at the top in Thailand. Other subject areas where AIT is included in world rankings includes Environmental Sciences (151-200); Business and Management Studies (201250); Agriculture and Forestry (201-250); Computer Science
and Information Systems (351400); Electrical and Electronics Engineering (251-300); and Mechanical, Aeronautical and
Manufacturing Engineering (301350). This is the fourth year that AIT has been ranked by QS Top Universities Rankings by Subject.
Setting research priorities for cities and climate change: AIT’s Dr Shobhakar Dhakal publishes in Nature Cities must address climate change, and there is a need for a “long-term, cross disciplinary studies to reduce carbon emissions and urban risks from global warming.” Setting the agenda and six research priorities in the latest issue of “Nature” was Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal and 10 other leading scientists who have coauthored an article on “Six research priorities for cities and climate change.” The 1 March 2018 issue of the prestigious journal “Nature” published this piece against the backdrop of the IPCC Cities
Cover of the 1March 2018 issue of Nature
and Climate Change Science Conference organized in Edmonton, Canada, from 5-8 March 2018. “IPCC and nine global partners brought together some 700 researchers, policymakers and practitioners from 80 countries, where participants established a global research agenda that will inform the IPCC special report on cities,” says Dr. Shobhakar, who is the Head of Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change, at AIT. The publication can be accessed at this link: https://www.nature.com/ articles/d41586-018-02409-z
SEMINARS / WORKSHOPS / CAREER FAIR APRIL 2018
SEMINARS / WORKSHOPS
Seminar on Cryptography Basics for Understanding Bitcoin and Blockchain Technology
Seminar on Trade Data Analytics: Case Studies at the Global, National, and Transaction Levels
International Expert Workshop on Framework for Basin-scale River Health Assessment in the Mekong River Basin
Dr. Chanathip Namprempre
Dr. Paul Janecek
7 March 2018
21 March 2018
Seminar on Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain Research
Seminar on How Blockchain can disrupt our lives
Workshop on Water Security Assessment
Dr. Chanathip Namprempre
Mr. Apichart Arunkunarax
26-30 March 2018
14 March 2018
28 March 2018
9-10 March 2018
AIT Career Fair and Research Exhibition: 28 March 2018
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BACKPAGE
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APRIL 2018
AIT International Food Fair: 30 March 2018
AIT Blood Donation: 15 March 2018
Editor: Bajinder Pal Singh bajinder@ait.ac.th Designer: Nadhika Mendhaka Photos: Paitoon Tinnapong Samphat Semathong For feedback, contact Office of Media and Communications omco@ait.ac.th
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