On 1 October 2008, the inaugural meeting of the AIT-Nepal Task Force
took place, which also coincided with the visit of Mr. Ramesh
Bista, President of the AIT Alumni Association (AITAA) Nepal
Chapter (Deputy Director General, Department of Roads, Foreign
Cooperation Branch, Ministry of Physical Planning and Works), and
Mr. Amod Adhikari, Member, AITAA Nepal Chapter (Vice Chairman of
the Nepal Engineering Council). From AIT, Nepalese faculty and staff
members, along with the President of the AIT Nepalese Society
attended.
The meeting deliberated on the topic of opening an AIT
Center in Nepal. It was recommended that, instead of going for a
center right away, AIT should first partner and assist the Nepalese
government in implementing its policies and priorities for a
“new” Nepal through engagement in a number of major
projects. For this the AITAA Nepal Chapter will forward to AIT by the
end of October 2008 the priorities of the government in consultation
with the alumni and other persons in key positions in the bureaucracy
and political parties. The AIT-Nepal Task Force members will also send
in their inputs by the end of October 2008. Based on these inputs the
External Relations and Communications Office (ERCO) of AIT will develop
a number of project proposals on select topics by the end of the
year.
Mr. Bista informed the meeting about the international
conference on “Knowledge Management for Sustainable Development”
planned for May 2009, and to be organized in partnership between the
AITAA Nepal Chapter, AITAA Mother Chapter and AIT, as one of the AIT
50th anniversary commemorative events. Given the short time for
preparation, it was suggested that the pre-announcement be sent out
immediately, and that an “organizing” and “technical” committee for the
conference be set up at the earliest. The Vice President for
Development and Resources, who is the Chair of the AIT 50th Anniversary
Task Force, will be requested to urgently pursue necessary actions for
organizing the conference, and other such activities that are planned
together with the alumni in other countries to mark the AIT Golden
Jubilee celebrations. The meeting recommended that the conference be
moved to June 2009, since it would difficult for AIT faculty to be
available during the proposed May 2009 period, the end of the
semester.
Mr. Bista also informed the meeting that the AITAA Nepal Chapter will
help in raising funds for an endowment fund which will be based
in
financial support to qualified Nepalese students to pursue their
studies at AIT.