Dear Members of the AIT Community,
§ New Year Message
: 2011 will go down in history as the toughest year in the history of the Asian Institute of Technology ever since it was founded. The year, which began on a very promising note with new initiatives and achievements -- particularly the ratification of the New AIT Charter by many signatories, ended with an inundated campus which for all practical purposes, remained out of bounds till December end.
To begin with, 2011 seemed like a glorious year. AIT Consulting was launched and the pace at which it established itself was nothing short of remarkable. AIT also launched its China office. The Institute began to put a new management model in place, and a new AIT Management Team took over. AIT was recognized for its excellence in the results of the Thai Research Fund (TRF), and it became the venue of the global secretariat of UNCSD's (United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development) International Partnership for Expanding Waste Management Services of Local Authorities (IPLA).
AIT is going through a new and reinvigorated stage of its development and the innovative initiatives being taken and planned, will reaffirm the Institute's unique and important role as a regional network university, serving as a capacity building arm as well as development partner and tool, for countries, organizations and institutions.
However as the year entered its fourth quarter, the Institute faced a calamity. A cataclysmic event -- the Great Thailand flood of 2011, swept into our beautiful serene campus submerging not only our infrastructure, but also our dreams. For over three weeks, we fought and sought to protect ourselves from the fury of nature. In the end, the great forces of nature were all too powerful for us, and the AIT community was forced to evacuate.
As we grapple with the after effects of the flood, we are facing an enormous challenge which is unprecedented in the history of the Institute. It is not just the infrastructure of our campus that was submerged, but everything that we took for granted has changed forever. The beautiful campus and the lush green environment, the classrooms and the laboratories, the coffee shops and the eating joints; the dormitories and our abode; the pathways and the library, nothing remains the same. Not only that, even our mindset and thinking has changed.
We must realize that our lives will never be the same again. The trauma and the stress will stay with us for a lifetime, and our future decisions will always be influenced by the Great Thailand Flood of 2011. We have been astounded by the turn of events, and just like the characters of "Who Moved My Cheese?" we have to find ways to deal with change in our work and in our life. It is time for us to prepare for a future. A future that will depend on the decisions that we take today as we rebuild our lives. We need to develop a common understanding for a shared future. We need to unite in our mission, while we continue to employ critical thinking and differential opinions to achieve a common goal. In this process we look forward to positive engagement with the entire AIT community. We welcome discussion, interaction and constructive contribution while engaging in a meaningful debate regarding AIT's future.
I believe all of us will be able to look back at this period, experiencing firsthand a natural disaster of this magnitude both at an individual level and as part of a community. This has been a period of hope and perseverance, virtue and integrity, and that which demanded sacrifices, learning to cope with the unexpected and being true to oneself on so many different levels, for these is what matter and eventually count in the long run. Here I am reminded of Ralph Waldo Emerson who said 'what lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us'. As scientists, engineers, managers and teachers, we teach our students to study facts, and apply critical thinking to the knowledge that we have gained so far. On this basis, we begin to model our future. That is what makes AIT the great Institution that it is. That is why AIT graduates are felicitated the world over, since they have the unique ability to analyze facts and fiction in a dispassionate manner. We need to apply the same rigorous analysis to come to terms with our challenges and confront adversity. We need to learn from the message of His Majesty the King of Thailand to remain united in the face of adversity.
AIT has shown during the past two months that despite its greatest ever challenge, it is slowly but surely bouncing back into action. AIT is adapting itself in the form of imaginative interactions and partnership with both the public and private sectors and is working towards becoming an institution that engages closely with the professions. Over the past two years we have also been exploring a new funding model for AIT which will complement the new AIT Charter. The aim is to develop a new funding model that would be able to generate funds for the upgrade of the academic and non-academic facilities, scaling up of AIT's operations in a number of targeted countries, investment in new knowledge areas, scholarships for needy students, and building up of a strong AIT endowment. All these changes, which AIT envisages, necessitate a revolutionary changed financial model, and not just a reformed version of the current funding model.
We shall continue on our path of striving excellence, and launch more programs and enhance AIT's capability and reach. Further, we shall strengthen our human capital that lies at the very heart of our Institute.
In the coming months, we shall return to our campus once again. We will start rebuilding not only our Institute, but also our lives. We intend to recreate our campus so that it becomes a model green eco-friendly and sustainable campus, which will be emulated by others.
By the end of January 2012, AIT will be re-established as an International Intergovernmental Institute. It shall be a unique institute of higher learning to have achieved this status. Despite the trauma of 2011, the year ahead promises to be a year of recovery, rebuilding and rejuvenation and reestablishment.
The challenge has been tough. The success will be sweeter. Wishing you all a prosperous happy new year 2012.
§ Thai Cabinet Approves new AIT Charter and Framework of Headquarters Agreement:
I am pleased to report that on 27 December 2011, the Thai Cabinet approved the AIT New Charter along with the framework of the Headquarters Agreement as per the recommendations by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. The AIT New Charter and the framework of the Headquarters Agreement will be further submitted to the Thai Parliament for its deliberation as required by Article 190 of Thailand's Constitution.
§ Report from "AIT Rehabilitation and Upgradation Committee" and Timeline for returning to AIT Mother Campus
: I chaired the AIT Rehabilitation and Upgradation Committee meeting on 29 December 2011, which decided to return to AIT Campus as per the following timeline: Academic buildings (except ground floor) will be declared open for the AIT community from 15 January 2012. Similarly residential buildings (except ground floor) will be declared open from 15 February 2012 for accommodation. Academic classes will resume at the AIT mother campus in Pathumthani from 15-31 March 2012.
Along with this, partial cafeteria services will be available by 15 February onwards, which will be enhanced by 1 March 2012. The AIT International School will also resume operations in the mother campus by 15 March 2012.
The decision was arrived at after considering the interests of the AIT community (particularly the students), examining the current state of repairs and cleaning, and in light of the proposed upgrading of the AIT campus.
While the committee decided that access and use of the AIT infrastructure will be allowed according to the due announced dates, please appreciate that for some time the AIT community will have to do with very basic minimal services. Electricity will be available at all places when the community returns on campus, while a provision is being made to provide wireless internet in the academic buildings. Medical clinic facilities will also resume before the AIT community relocates to the campus. Central air conditioning will be available by 1 March 2012.
Services will be restored one by one on a priority basis, and hence the community should not expect restoration of all facilities on their return.
In the meanwhile the AIT Task Force members will continue to facilitate the restoration of other facilities. AIT will initiate discussions with partner institutes to help students gain access to additional library facilities, since the ground floor of the AIT library has suffered a considerable damage. Similarly AIT will initiate talks with external providers to obtain accommodation for all ground floor residents who wish to return. This accommodation will be in AIT's vicinity.
A time frame of 15-31 March 2012 is being provided for resumption of classes, so that all those who are currently based at temporary locations need not rush back to the mother campus in a single day. Classes will resume on the second floor of the SET, SERD and SOM buildings. We will also utilize classrooms on the second floor of the AIT Conference Center. During this time, the ground floor of these buildings may have to be sealed (except for accessing upper level).
Meanwhile a modern environment friendly lecture theatre complex will be created by remodeling the AIT Extension Building. This lecture theatre complex will house classrooms for all AIT students and will act as a central pivot of academic activities. We have had preliminary discussions on this issue, and by the time the AIT community returns to the campus, some work on this project would have already started. We hope to open this lecture theatre complex before the May graduation. As soon as the complex is ready, some of you will be lucky to avail this facility in the January semester as well.
Certain other steps are being taken in light of the deadlines, and necessary instructions are being issued to ensure that clearance and cleaning activities are completed before the respective deadlines. It is important to note that the implementation of the above decisions would require that certain conditions are fulfilled, such as a certificate from a professional company that the campus is clean and safe for people to return.
Masters and doctoral students doing their theses work who wish to return to the campus earlier than the dates indicated can do so but it will be at their own risk, especially if it is before a certification from a professional company that the campus is clean and safe for people to return has been secured.
We end this year on a positive and promising note of returning to our beloved campus, and look forward towards not only restoration but also an upgrade of AIT's campus facilities.
§ Visit of Volunteers from Double A Public Company
: On 20 December 2011 morning, I welcomed Mr. Charnvit Jarusombathi, CEO of Double A Public Company and Dr. Chinnarat Boonchu, President of DARC (Double A Research Center) to the AIT main campus. They came along with 40 volunteers (35 laboratory technicians and 5 laborers) who cleared the debris and washed down the Pulp and Paper Technology building at AIT. Khun Chanvit also pledged to fund 630,000 Baht for the P&P building covering 2,100 sq.m. when the building is ready.
§ AIT Management Team Meeting
: On 28 December afternoon, the AIT Management Team met that was also attended by invitees Director/AIT Vietnam, Head-Alumni Office, Head-CMO, Acting Head-ERCO, Head-Finance and Flood Emergency Coordinator. The key issue discussed was the Rebuilding, Upgrading and Return to AIT Campus, including the teaching complex of about 20 classrooms of varying sizes (15-100 person capacity), that would be of top priority and is scheduled to be completed by 1 May 2012. School Deans were requested to identify their respective laboratory complexes, not necessarily to only replace damaged FoS-specific laboratories, rather to realize planned thematic research laboratories, some in a common centralized location to be shared among Schools. A scientific rethinking approach was encouraged to invest on strengthening competitiveness and new initiatives. It is envisioned that the renovated state-of-the-art Library and learning resource center will have the ground floor as reading or study areas and sitting room, while the Library materials and collections will all be at the expanded second floor area [linked up with second floor of the Library Annex (areas currently occupied by the Language Center and MCU)]. AIT is also working with TU and NSTDA for a coordinated proposal for an integrated flood protection system. It was also informed that the documentation and applications are underway for insurance claims of buildings and Institute assets damaged by the recent flood.
The other issues discussed were the Internet and ERP access at AIT's Temporary Office, Two Pacific Place; follow-up on 'Save Our Planet' with the School Deans,; School Deans to call School faculty meetings to receive feedback from faculty members, disseminate information, and provide clarification, where necessary; School Deans to actively respond to partner institutions abroad confirming to host AIT research students based on the report from ERCO, and ERCO to report these online, including application procedures and deadlines; venue for 116th Graduation on 21 January 2012; report from Student Union's (SU) General Assembly (GA), the minutes of which are yet to be received by the SU Council as action points. and to better understand and address these issues I will schedule a meeting with the SU Executive Team and GA; requests by Non-AIT parents for fee reduction and an extended doctoral student for 50% refund of AIT International School (AITIS) tuition fees; disbursement of temporary relocation allowances; flood preparation documentation reports from Unit Heads; etc.
§ Visit from Nepal Education Foundation-Consortium of Colleges, Nepal (NEF-CCN)
: On 30th December 2011, Dr. Pramod Bahadur Shrestha, Coordinator of NEF-CCN visited our AIT campus in Hua Hin, Stamford International University with the aim of discussing the current preparation going on at NEF-CCN related to our 2+2 UG programs and other programs which are expected to be started from September 2012. During his visit, Dr. Shrestha met Dr. Nitin Kumar Tripathi, Associate Dean of School of Engineering and Technology (SET) and Coordinator of RS-GIS FoS, Dr. Mathew Dailey, Coordinator of UG Programs and Coordinator of CS FoS, and Dr. Sangam Shrestha, Assistant Professor, Water Engineering and Management (WEM), SET and updated about the activities being done at NEF-CCN and keen interest to start the programs from next year. Highly impressed by the AIT's academic and administrative resumption after flood, Dr. Shrestha also informed that NEF-CCN has been preparing to donate about 3,00,000 Baht for AIT soon.
The meeting program was arranged by Ms. Sumana Shrestha, Program Officer, External Relations and Communications Office (ERCO).
§ Offers from partners to host AIT postgraduate students undertaking research
: I am delighted by the strong solidarity response we have received from our partners and I would like to emphasize on those who are able to offer assistance to AIT. Nevertheless, it is likely that this list is not complete since we have received generous offers from different channels and might have not centralized it all yet. We will get back to all our partners on their offer whether our students can accept it or not (availability of funding support can be an issue).
Below is the list of partners with their commitments when specified:
-National Institute of Informatics (NII), Japan has already accepted seven students for internship at NII for three to six months. Return airfare, monthly allowance to be provided throughout their internship period at NII.
-National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan has already accepted to host two students to conduct their research work at NIES for two to three months. Return airfare, allowance, accommodation, research facilities to be provided.
-The University of Yamanashi (UY), Japan has already accepted to host two students to conduct their research work at UY. Return airfare, accommodation, research facilities to be provided.
-National Institute of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Pakistan has shortlisted thirty two students to conduct/continue research at NUST. Details about the support are yet to be confirmed.
-Yun Ze University (YZU), Taiwan: offer to host twenty-eight (28) AIT students and make arrangement with the Taiwanese MOFA for special funding support for air-tickets and bursary up to one year.
-National Chung Hsing University (NCHU), Taiwan: offer tuition fee waiver and accommodation for the students coming to NCHU. They are currently coordinating among different departments of NCHU regarding AIT's call for assistance.
-National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST), Taiwan: offer to host some of AIT postgraduate students by co-supervising them along with their supervisor at AIT. Under a proposed MoA for dual degree program, AIT students pay tuition fee at AIT and NPUST can offer free accommodation for AIT students during this hard time. Probably, supervisors at NPUST may have projects which may offer AIT students part time research allowance or equivalent. NPUST may consider offering stipend for some selected students if they wish to study at NPUST starting from September, 2012.
-National Yulin University of Science and Technology (YunTech), Taiwan: offer to host four (4) students from AIT in the Spring Semester on February 20, 2012 with partial financial support to study one or two semesters in YunTech. The partial financial support should cover the tuition fees.
-National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU), Taiwan: offer to host seven (7) AIT students in total. NTOU Institute of Marine Affairs and Resource Management plans to support one student with a return ticket (between Thailand-Taiwan) and other possible finance and support. NTOU Institute of Applied Geoscience is willing to take six (6) students wherein AIT student shall be provided monthly stipend or help them winning scholarships at NTOU.
-Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia: co-supervision of research, Accommodation and research facilities (priority is given to Southeast Asian students and students from Japan).
-Central University of Rajasthan, India: can host 26 students but no commitment.
-Bauhaus-Universitaet Weimar, Germany.
-Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, India: one AIT student is already hosted and more might follow.
-Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH), India.
-Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology University (KIIT), India: willing to host 25 students.
-International Global Environment Strategies (IGES), Japan: willing to accept our students as interns from 3 months to 12 months as long as the research topics of students match with those of the IGES research groups
-Polytech-Nice Sophia Antipolis, France.
-BIMTECH in India has agreed to support 3 Research students at their campus in India (Noida) and will provide boarding and lodging facilities at their campus.
Once again, on behalf of AIT community, I wish to thank our partners for their generous offers and all those who communicated to us their sympathy during this challenging time for the Institute and its people.
§ Head, Contract Management Office (CMO)
: Dr. Sun Sayamipuk , Head of the Contract Management Office (CMO), whose contact ends effective 31 December 2011 has chosen not to renew his contract and plans to work on his family related business. For CMO operations in Hua Hin, he has assigned and shared the workload among the CMO staff and has offered to coordinate and support them until the end of January 2012.
On behalf of AIT, I would like to thank Dr. Sun, for the important role he played in serving as the liaison between the AIT Community and outsourcing partners and in this capacity he fully understood the vision of what a partnership can achieve by working together. An AIT alumnus (M.Sc. in 1995 and Ph.D. in 2000), Dr. Sun has worked at AIT in various capacities as Senior Laboratory Supervisor and Affiliated Faculty in the Structural Engineering Field of Study of AIT's School of Engineering and Technology (SET).
Dr. Sun played a highly important and significant role before, during and after the floods, in different aspects, under very demanding and challenging circumstances, which is highly commendable, and wish to place on record his valuable contributions made to the Institute. While it will be difficult to find a replacement for Dr. Sun, we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
§ Meeting with AIT Students in Hua Hin
: The Director of Center for Learning, Innovation and Quality Assurance (CLIQ), Dr. Louis Hornyak, Dean of School of Engineering and Technology (SET), Dr. Nitin Afzulpurkar and AIT Flood Emergency Operations Coordinator, Mr. Ashish Sitoula held a meeting with the students residing in AIT Campus in Hua Hin to discuss various issues of concerns. It was informed that issues such as relocation of students, salvage operation, resumption of classes, revised visa protocols, availability of Halal food etc. can now be closed as all have been accomplished - albeit not without some degree of discomfort. Of the remainder - housing issues, internet availability, study space and transportation schedules are being actively and aggressively pursued. Also other issues such as laundry, security, study table/chairs, food delivery, internet bandwidth increase, reading materials for coursework, arrangements for trips to Hua Hin city for dinner and shopping, prayer space, printing services, student blog to communicate issues and opinions in real time etc. are being addressed.
The results of the Student Union survey few weeks ago were noted and some of the points raised were already noted by the management and actions were under implementation. Most of the issues raised by the student have already been solved. While there is still dissatisfaction, that level is decreasing with each and every day.
The staff have been working very hard to make it a better experience for students, and it was observed that the students could also help by being patient and understanding.
§ Cautionary Message to Students
: The current period of festivities are dangerous all over Thailand, especially from a traffic point of view, with many accidents involving people driving under influence of alcohol. I would like students to exercise extreme caution during this period of festivities. As a reminder and for information about risks please find article on the web link:
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/522277-the-undocumented-dangers-of-thailands-roads/
§ Report on Inspection of AIT Campus Building and other Infrastructure Assets for Post-Flood Restoration and Re-Building for Future Flood Protection
: Prof. Waheed Uddin has shared with me his second report from his visit to Bangkok, on his independent assessment of flood inundation impacts on the AIT mother campus which includes a detailed inspection of several buildings with the assistance of AIT staff. It also provides guidelines as well as the underlying methodology of rapid flood damage assessment used in the United States. The flood impact assessment methodology is based on visual inspection of critical building infrastructure.
The detailed report is available at the web link
Prof. Uddin will soon submit the compiled full report to AIT, which will include recommendations for long term strategies to protect buildings and campus infrastructures from future floods. On behalf of the Institute, I would like to thank Prof. Uddin for his services to AIT that is on voluntary basis at no cost to AIT.
§ Passing Away of Dr. Nay Win Maung, Secretary General of Myanmar Egress
: I was informed by Mr. Kyaw Soe Hlaing, Program Coordinator, External Relations and Communications Office (ERCO) of the sad news that Dr. Nay Win Maung, Secretary General of Myanmar Egress passed away on 1st January 2012 at the age of 50. On behalf of AIT, I would like to express our condolences and deep sympathies to the family and relatives of the late Dr. Nay.
Dr. Nay played a most significant and instrumental in our proposed Professional Master's in Public Policy (MPP) Program for Myanmar and took a lead role in securing most of scholarships for the program as well as the logistical arrangements as Programme Director of the Myanmar Egress Institute. He also played an instrumental role in capacity building for Myanmar and was very much keen to see the launch of the MPP programs, and we have been assured by Myanmar Egress that they will make sure that the program is successfully launched as planned by Dr. Nay.
http://www.ait.ac.th/news-and-events/2011/news/myanmar-egress-signs-mou-with-ait/?
§ Quote of the Week
: This week's quote is by Hermann Hesse who said the following "I have always believed that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value." Hermann Hesse, the Pulitzer Prize–winning German writer, became extremely popular in the 1960's and 1970's for his deeply spiritual novels spiked with Eastern philosophy. He won the Noble Prize in Literature in 1946.
Wish you a pleasant week ahead.
Sincerely,
Said Irandoust
President
Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)
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