Differentiating between inventions and innovation, Dr. Viravan
remarked that while people can invent ‘useless’ things, innovation is
always useful. She highlighted that the Amata Science City concept, a
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) enterprise envisioned for Chonburi,
Thailand, which includes AIT as a key partner, will be a driving force
in achieving the vision of an innovative economy for the country.
Development of a creative economy fuelled by green innovation as a key
to prosperous sustainable development will be a main principle of the
soon-to-be Amata Science City, she said. “We want to push the economy
of Thailand upward through innovation,” she remarked, referring a
recent IFC and World Bank international ranking on the ease of doing
business, in which Thailand placed 19 out of 183 countries
surveyed.
Acknowledging that many AIT graduates already fit that target profile,
she said, “It’s important that we work to find ways to keep AIT
graduates who want to stay and work here in Thailand.” She added that
most companies in Thailand prefer to hire undergraduate students as
interns and the Science City concept will help harness this trend in a
more efficient manner.
Prof. Joydeep Dutta, Vice President for Academic Affairs, welcomed Dr.
Viravan stating that graduate institutions play a critical role in
enhancing innovation. Thailand is moving from labor intensive to
capital intensive industry, and now it is in a phase where innovation
can be integrated to the final product. The country will have to follow
pathway and roots shown by Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei and China, he
said. Ms. Izel Ann Mojado-Dante, Head, Administration, presented a
souvenir to Dr. Virapan on behalf of AIT.
