Orientation Program for August 2012 new Students

340 students from 28 countries, spread across five continents joined the new batch of students AIT. At the orientation program held on 10 August 2012, the students, who form the historic first batch in AIT's Intergovernmental era, were welcomed to the Institute with a schedule of day-long activities and festivities. The final number of students enrolling is expected to increase in the coming days.

The students come from Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia and South America; with Thailand providing the largest cohort of students (103). Myanmar with 59 and Nepal with 25 students, are the other major countries of origin of the students. Other major countries of origin of students include Pakistan (20), Bangladesh and Vietnam (12 each), France (11), Cambodia, India and People's Republic of China (10 each).

During my welcome remarks I congratulated the students on being the first batch under AIT's International Intergovernmental status, after the new AIT Charter came into effect on 30th January 2012.  I highlighted some of the vital attributes students' needs to develop in this continuously shifting, changing, increasingly technological economy such as being flexible, resilient, adaptable, team players, technologically savvy, able to apply skills in different contexts, life-long learners and referred to Alvin Toffler, who stated that in the twenty-first century, "illiterates are not persons who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn." Aside from the above, I touched upon the important role academic institutions have in the development of intellectual virtues for students and instilling attributes such as the love of truth, honesty, courage, fairness and wisdom and risk taking.

Prof. I.M.Pandey, Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. Nitin V. Afzulpurkar, Dean, School of Engineering and Technology (SET); Dr. Barbara Igel, Dean, School of Management (SOM); Dr. Amararatne Yakupitiyage (representing the Dean, School of Environment, Resources and Development and Mr. Rajeev Sinha, President, AIT Student Union also addressed the students. Dr. Louis Hornyak, Director, Center for Learning, Innovation and Quality (CLIQ), was the Master of Ceremony.

My heartiest welcome to all our new students once again and wish all of you a wonderful stay at AIT.

President