AIT Board of Trustees Retreat
Prior to the Board meeting, the AIT Board of Trustees held its first ever Retreat on October 26-27 at the Eastern Star Golf Resort and Executive Conference Center, Banchang, Rayong. The Retreat was hosted by the Chairman of the AIT Board, H.E. Anand Panyarachun, and was attended by more than 20 Trustees, members of the AIT Administration and senior faculty.
The relaxed gathering was an opportunity for many Trustees -several of whom are newly appointed - to get to know each other and get to know AIT. It also provided an opportunity for a frank, open discussion about the future of AIT. Four sessions were held, focusing on AIT's strategic directions and goals, AIT's niche and continuing relevance, networking and linkages, and the financial sustainability of the Institute. Discussions provided an opportunity to revisit issues discussed at the Stakeholders' Forum in September 1999 and the Donors' Meeting the following year, and to review progress made by the Institute during the Presidency of Professor Jean-Louis Armand.
In his closing address, H.E. Anand Panyarachun complimented Trustees on the high quality of the discussion, and explained why he believed that AIT had a strong future in front of it, and gave some strong indications of the direction he believed that it needed to go: 'there will always be room for a university of this international nature… AIT must focus more, and come up with a plan that will satisfy its stakeholders and the countries it serves in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, relevance'.