One of the highlights of AIT President Said
Irandoust’s recent trip to Indonesia in mid-February 2009 was
the signing of a general MoU with Indonesia’s Andalas University. The
President was accompanied on the mission by Dr. Pennung
Warnitchai, Coordinator of the Disaster Preparedness,
Mitigation and Management (DPMM), Mr. Kyaw Soe Hlaing,
Coordinator, Promotions and Alumni Relations from the External
Relations and Communications Office (ERCO), and Mr. Achjar
Riadi, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs and Development at
the AIT Center in Indonesia (AITCI).
Professor Dr. Musliar Kasim, Rector of Andalas
University (UNAND), Padang, Indonesia, represented UNAND for the
signing of the agreement. The MoU will enable development of faculty
and staff exchange programs; the capacity upgrade of UNAND teaching
staff members; the development of student exchange programs, unified
bachelor-master’s degree programs, and dual master’s degree programs;
the development of joint research endeavors; the organization of
international conferences, short courses, seminars, symposia, and
workshops on areas of interest to both institutions and/or countries;
and the exchanging of teaching and research information between the two
institutions.
Some activities under the MoU include AIT’s respective schools. These
items had been discussed when the UNAND delegation last visited the
Institute mid-January 2009.
Under the agreement, the School of Engineering and Technology
(SET) is to arrange program(s) for students from UNAND Faculty
of Engineering to take credit courses for one semester at SET as part
of UNAND Master degree programs, and to explore collaborative
activities including joint research in the Disaster Preparedness,
Mitigation and Management (DPMM) field.
The School of Environment, Resources and Development
(SERD) will arrange program(s) for students from UNAND Faculty
of Engineering to take credit courses for one semester at SERD as part
of UNAND Master degree programs. It will also develop dual degree
programs in the Agro-Business Management (ABM), Regional and Rural
Development Planning (RRDP), DPMM and Energy Fields.
The School of Management (SOM) will arrange a program
for students from UNAND Faculty of Economics to take credit courses for
one semester at SOM as part of the UNAND Master of Management program.
SOM will also be responsible for preparing UNAND teaching staff when
they pursue their doctoral studies at the school. UNAND will second
staff to SOM for a period of 2-3 months to work closely with its
faculty members.