Visiting AIT
H.E. Mr. Madhukar Shumshere J.B. Rana (above right), Finance Minister, His Majesty's Government of Nepal visited AIT on 16 August 2005. Minister Rana was enroute to Nepal after attending the funeral ceremony of the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar on behalf of the government of Nepal. Minister Rana was accompanied by Mr. Arjun Kant Mainali, Charge'd Affaires a.i./Counsellor during his visit to AIT.
From left: Mr. Karma Rana, Institute Secretary and Coordinator, Executive Committee; H.E. Nepal Finance Minister Madhukar Shumshere J.B. Rana; Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President; Mr. Arjun Kant Mainali, Charge'd Affaires a.i./Counsellor, Royal Embassy of Nepal; Prof. Ram Shrestha, Energy Program, SERD and Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Director of Promotions.
Various issues were discussed with the Minister on the occasion including the further strengthening of AIT's close collaboration with Nepal. Seven students have started coming to AIT under the MoU signed with the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology and the High-Level Commission on ICT in December 2004 and a similar agreement is also being finalised with Tribhuvan University. The AIT Alumni Chapter in Nepal has been instrumental in fostering closer collaborations between AIT and Nepal.
On 16 August 2005, Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President met Dr. Mac Kirby and Dr. Md. Mainuddin (WEM'00) from CSIRO Land Water, Australia and attending the meeting were Dr. Mukand Singh Babel, WEM FoS Coordinator, Prof. Ashim Das Gupta, WEM/SERD, Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Director of Promotions and Mr. Kyaw Soe Hlaing, Alumni Relations Coordinator. It was discussed about possible collaborative research on a project through AIT doctoral and master students in Mekong River Basin. This joint research project will be carried out by international agencies and it was also suggested that further discussions to be placed with a view to sign MoU between AIT and CSIRO.
On 15 August 2005, AIT President Prof. Said Irandoust (1st from left) received delegation headed by Dr. Kuo-Pao Chang (3rd from left), Chief Director, Department of Vocational Education, Ministry of Education, Taiwan and Prof. Chao-Huiung Wang (1st from right), President of Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan, accompanied by senior officials representative from Taiwan universities and officials from Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Thailand. The delegates are from Chaia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Dong-Fang Institute of Technology, Ho-Chun Institute of Technology, Hu-Wei University of Technology, Jyh-Li Institute of Technology, Kun-Shan University of Technology, Nan-Kai Institute of Technology, Penghu Institute of Technology, Ping-Tung Commercial Institute of Technology, Ping-Tung University of Technology, Southern Taiwan University of Technology, Su-The University of Technology, Taipei University of Technology, Yong-Da University and Yun-Lin University of Technology.
The purpose of the visit was to explore and discuss the collaboration between AIT and Taiwan Universities. From AIT, Prof. Chongrak Polprasert, Dean SERD and Acting Dean SCE, Prof. Vilas Wuwongse, In-charge SAT, and Prof. John C.S. Tang of SOM made presentation about respective schools. President Prof. Chao-Huiung Wang and Prof. Shuh-Ren Jing, Director of R&D; Center of Ecologist Engneering and Technology also made presentation about current collaboration programs among AIT, Chia-Nan University of Pharmacy and Science and partner universities in the region.
It was also discussed that joint research projects between AIT and partner universities in Taiwan will be pursued.
Standing from left: Mr. S. Rangarajah, Chief Secretary, North East Provincial Council, Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President, Mr. T. Lankaneson, Project Director, North East Community Restoration and Development Project and Advisor to the Hon. Gov. of North East Province and Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Director of Promotions.p>
On 12 August 2005, Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President met with Mr. S. Rangarajah, Chief Secretary, North East Provincial Council and Mr. T. Lankaneson, Project Director, North East Community Restoration and Development Project and Advisor to the Hon. Gov. of North East Province, wherein they discussed the on-going program of the 12 officers from NECORD on 'Leadership in Public Services and Disaster Management'. This is the second program of officers sent by NECORD to the AIT-Extension.
During the discussion with the President the Director of NECORD confirmed that there will be 2 more groups of 15 participants per group coming to AIT within this year. The programs are on 'Gender and Development for Women Living in Conflict Areas' and 'Construction Management'.
Furthermore, the Chief Secretary Mr. S. Rangarajah informed the President that there is a possibility of sending recent graduates who are working in the North East Provincial Council to AIT's School of Management to follow the Masters in International Public Management. There are over 3,000 recent graduates that are working at North East Provincial Council and this would be a mutually beneficial long-term partnership.
The AIT President stated it is best to have this program, on a flexible Master's Degree Approach wherein the candidates will come to AIT for 1 year, then on their 2nd year they can go back to their workplace and proceed back to AIT at a later stage to complete the 2nd year to receive their Masters Degree.
This idea was well received by the Chief Secretary and he mentioned that AIT should send the detailed proposal to the Hon. Governor of North East Province for further discussion. This proposal if accepted will be fully funded by the North East Provincial Council.
On 11 August 2005, Dr. Carlito R. Aleta (right), Special Advisor to the RCA Regional Office and Mrs. Jinarorn Chvajarempan, Head of the International
Cooperation Group, Bureau of Atomic Energy Administration, Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand visited AIT. During the visit, they held a
meeting with Prof. Chongrak, Dean SERD and Field of Study Coordinators of SERD, namely Prof. V. M. Salokhe, ASE FoS Coordinator, Prof. V. K. Jinda,
F&BT; FoS Coordinator, Dr. Yang Yi, AARM FoS Coordinator, Dr. Preeda Parkpian, EEM FoS Coordinator, Dr. Weerakorn Ongsakul, Energy FoS
Coordinator, and also Dr Animesh Dutta, Energy Program/SERD and Mr. Tenzin Rabgyal, Program Officer, Office of the President.
Dr. Carlito R. Aleta (second from right) and Mrs. Jinarorn Chvajarempan (right)
The main focus of the meeting was to explore possibility of partnerships between SERD/AIT and the RCA Regional Office. Main areas of potential
collaboration can be co-organizing workshops, conferences and seminars on various fields. AIT can also be used as an instrumental tool for RCA project
development in the region.
Ms. Gwendolyn Melich (above left), Third Secretary, Political Affairs of the US Embassy visited AIT on 01 August 2005. Ms. Melich visit to AIT was aimed to knowing more about the Institute and the programs the school offers.
During the visit, Ms. Melich met with the Pres. Said Irandoust, AIT President; Prof. Chongrak Polprasert, Dean SERD and Acting SCE Dean; Dr. Islam Nazrul, Acting Dean SOM; Dr. Teresita Del Rosario, Acting Dean, AIT Extension; Dr. Jonathan Richmond, SCE and Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Director of Promotion Activities.
Ms. Melich indicated that AIT has significant potential to explore the US market through bilateral cooperation and foundations based in the US. She also provided information on some areas which may be of interest to the US market.
To cap her visit, Ms. Melich visited the Telecommunication laboratory and the Industrial Systems Engineering laboratory the School of Advanced Technologies.
On 27 July 2005, Ms. Monica Garry (above right), Executive Director, The Bridge Fund (TBF), USA met with Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President.
In the meeting, the President was joined by Prof. Chongrak Polprasert, Dean SERD and Acting Dean SCE; Dr. Yang Yi, Associate Professor/ SERD; Dr. Chen Xiaogong, Coordinator, RS & GIS/SAT; and Mr. Tenzin Rabgyal Program Officer, Office of the President
Ms. Garry expressed that TBF is very pleased to have started the cooperation with the French Government supported Scholarship program. Ms. Monica has informed President Irandoust that the three Tibetan students from China will be coming to AIT for their Masters degree program, which is funded through the Government of France. She also expressed her sincere gratitude to Dr. Yang Yi for helping in framing the selection criteria of potential applicants during their meeting in Beijing together with Ms Siv Leng Chhuor, Premier Secretaire, French Embassy in Beijing, China last July 8, 2005.
Ms. Monica Garry (left), Executive Director, The Bridge Fund (TBF), USA speaks with Prof. Said Irandoust, President AIT
The visit was also aimed to explore and discuss more collaboration between AIT and TBF. Ms. Garry has expressed that the there is possibility of sending more qualified students/young staff members of TBF to AIT for Master's and short term training program.
Ms. Garry also visited the ACRoRS building and was briefed by Dr. Lal Samarakoon, Director of ACRoRs. She likewise visited the Language Center to learn about the various activities of the language center in framing and honing the language skills for potential Asian Scholars. Mr. Mathew C. Laszewski, Director, Language Center, has explained about various possibilities to train and develop the writing skills for Tibetan scholars.
Later on Ms. Monica met with Prof. Kanchana Kanchanasut, InTERlab Directorto learn and explore about the InTERLab activities and its benefits to the region.<