The open-invitation meeting provided an opportunity for AIT
President Said Irandoust to meet and engage a number of recent and
senior alumni to explain key institute developments first-hand.
President Said Irandoust to meet and engage a number of recent and
senior alumni to explain key institute developments first-hand.
Among the topics the president touched on were the New AIT Charter,
the recent flooding of the AIT campus, and the new funding model.
Following a series of presentations, the president opened the floor to
questions, and the alumni expressed their opinions and concerns.
the recent flooding of the AIT campus, and the new funding model.
Following a series of presentations, the president opened the floor to
questions, and the alumni expressed their opinions and concerns.
“Six weeks from now AIT will become an international intergovernmental
organization and by the end of January 2012, AIT will have a new
governing council,” he told the group of close to 40 AIT alumni and AIT
officials.
organization and by the end of January 2012, AIT will have a new
governing council,” he told the group of close to 40 AIT alumni and AIT
officials.
He explained that the initiative to change the Charter and turn AIT
into a full-fledged international intergovernmental organization was an
initiative conducted under the auspices of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Thailand, with AIT's partner governments.
into a full-fledged international intergovernmental organization was an
initiative conducted under the auspices of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Thailand, with AIT's partner governments.
President Irandoust added that the new Charter is a recognition of
AIT's more than 50 years of dedicated and committed service to the
region and beyond, noting that so far, 18 countries and 1 international
organization have signed or confirmed to sign the new charter. He added
that all alumni should feel proud that their alma mater will soon be
attaining international intergovernmental status.
AIT's more than 50 years of dedicated and committed service to the
region and beyond, noting that so far, 18 countries and 1 international
organization have signed or confirmed to sign the new charter. He added
that all alumni should feel proud that their alma mater will soon be
attaining international intergovernmental status.
President Irandoust then outlined extensive details of the AIT flood
crisis, the temporary and partial relocations in Hua Hin and Cha-am and
theses students’ placements, and the ongoing rehabilitation, rebuilding
and upgrading plans for the main campus.
crisis, the temporary and partial relocations in Hua Hin and Cha-am and
theses students’ placements, and the ongoing rehabilitation, rebuilding
and upgrading plans for the main campus.
In responding to the query as to when the return to the mother campus
would take place, the President stressed that while internal experts
have said the building is structurally safe, reports by external
experts specializing in rehabilitation work have indicated that health
and safety issues have to be addressed before the move can take
place.
would take place, the President stressed that while internal experts
have said the building is structurally safe, reports by external
experts specializing in rehabilitation work have indicated that health
and safety issues have to be addressed before the move can take
place.
He informed that a newly-constituted AIT Main Campus Rebuilding and
Upgrading Committee has been mandated to oversee the formulation of a
professional design brief that will guide medium-term campus renovation
work.
Upgrading Committee has been mandated to oversee the formulation of a
professional design brief that will guide medium-term campus renovation
work.
He added that we would be able to move back to the AIT campus
within the next semester, and that the exact dates will be available
once the recovery and rebuilding plan is finalized, and expected to
have clarity on this within the next 2 weeks.
within the next semester, and that the exact dates will be available
once the recovery and rebuilding plan is finalized, and expected to
have clarity on this within the next 2 weeks.
The Committee has recommended that the AIT Extension Building be
converted into a hub for all classrooms. He explained that the
rebuilding will be done in phases, starting with classrooms and
prioritizing academic buildings. Once classes are up and running at
this central campus location, renovation and reconstruction work could
happen in parallel at the other academic buildings.
converted into a hub for all classrooms. He explained that the
rebuilding will be done in phases, starting with classrooms and
prioritizing academic buildings. Once classes are up and running at
this central campus location, renovation and reconstruction work could
happen in parallel at the other academic buildings.
President Irandoust also briefed the alumni on specific details of the
administration’s work to explore a new funding model. For the last 2
years, the AIT management, the Executive Committee and the AIT Board
have spent substantial efforts to discuss options to adopt a business
model to address challenges from the rapidly changing
environment.
administration’s work to explore a new funding model. For the last 2
years, the AIT management, the Executive Committee and the AIT Board
have spent substantial efforts to discuss options to adopt a business
model to address challenges from the rapidly changing
environment.
Governments are significantly reducing their funding for scholarships,
other universities are advancing fast, and more and more universities
start online programs and compete on a global scale.
other universities are advancing fast, and more and more universities
start online programs and compete on a global scale.
Hence AIT needs strategies to a achieve a sustainable long-term
future, become less donor dependent and still obtaining sufficient
resources to maintain quality of education and research. The core idea
is to continue to optimize AITs current operations and also increase
AITs service scope to new initiatives such as additional fields of
study, spin-offs, satellite campuses, or online education, etc.
future, become less donor dependent and still obtaining sufficient
resources to maintain quality of education and research. The core idea
is to continue to optimize AITs current operations and also increase
AITs service scope to new initiatives such as additional fields of
study, spin-offs, satellite campuses, or online education, etc.
The President also responded to queries on the links with Laureate
International Universities, which is among the several education groups
AIT is currently in discussions with in an effort to take AIT to its
next level of growth.
International Universities, which is among the several education groups
AIT is currently in discussions with in an effort to take AIT to its
next level of growth.
Among the areas AIT is seeking expertise on includes faculty and
student exchange programmes, as well as access to graduate and
post-graduate programmes in new and emerging fields of study. He added
that AIT signed a non-binding MOU on 30September 2011 with Laureate
which outlines the intention of both sides to explore to which extent
and in which areas a partnership might create mutual benefits.
student exchange programmes, as well as access to graduate and
post-graduate programmes in new and emerging fields of study. He added
that AIT signed a non-binding MOU on 30September 2011 with Laureate
which outlines the intention of both sides to explore to which extent
and in which areas a partnership might create mutual benefits.
President Irandoust invited interested members of the AIT community to
contact or visit the President's Office if they would like to learn
more. The President also stated that since both sides are still in the
exploration state, neither AIT nor Laureate have made any commitment
regarding a potential partnership.
contact or visit the President's Office if they would like to learn
more. The President also stated that since both sides are still in the
exploration state, neither AIT nor Laureate have made any commitment
regarding a potential partnership.
During the forum, Dr. Peter Theisen, AIT's external consultant for
strategic planning, outlined AIT Online, undergraduate, satellite
campus and professional programs as four potential income streams for
AIT.
strategic planning, outlined AIT Online, undergraduate, satellite
campus and professional programs as four potential income streams for
AIT.
He suggested strengthening professional marketing and sales, capacity
optimization and also campus upgrading to improve AIT's bottom-line.
Since AIT has already taken recourse to significant cost-cutting, it is
not advisable to proceed on this path again, he suggested. The
"strategic roadmaps" for AIT will be presented to the AIT faculty and
staff in 2 months.
optimization and also campus upgrading to improve AIT's bottom-line.
Since AIT has already taken recourse to significant cost-cutting, it is
not advisable to proceed on this path again, he suggested. The
"strategic roadmaps" for AIT will be presented to the AIT faculty and
staff in 2 months.
There was a lively discussion during which the President stressed the
importance in alumni to be ambassadors of AIT and for them to act as
positive facilitators. He added that we need alumni to spread the word
about the good work and achievements of AIT noting that alumni can act
as bridges between AIT and the outer world, so that the world views us
in positive light. He also touched upon the important role of the
alumni, namely to help, guide and facilitate initiatives, particularly
in fund raising, mentorship, internship, and job placements for new
alumni.
importance in alumni to be ambassadors of AIT and for them to act as
positive facilitators. He added that we need alumni to spread the word
about the good work and achievements of AIT noting that alumni can act
as bridges between AIT and the outer world, so that the world views us
in positive light. He also touched upon the important role of the
alumni, namely to help, guide and facilitate initiatives, particularly
in fund raising, mentorship, internship, and job placements for new
alumni.
The special night with AIT alumni in Bangkok was the first of a number
of alumni-interactions planned for the future by AIT.
of alumni-interactions planned for the future by AIT.
