While visiting on 24 August 2012, Mr. Victor Chan, Executive Director
of GESIE, signed the MoU with AIT President Prof. Said Irandoust. The
partnership agreement is the outcome of a visit by a GESIE delegation
in June this year.
Under the MoU both partners agreed to pursue various academic
activities, such as international unified Bachelor-Master’s programs,
and two-stage undergraduate, Master’s and Doctoral programs. A key
component calls for GESIE to facilitate students from China enrolling
into AIT undergraduate, Master’s and Doctoral programs.
Speaking at the signing, Mr. Chan commented that GESIE are the only
official governmental organization in Guangdong province authorized to
handle foreign student affairs. The organization can liaise with all
universities and educational institutes located in fast-growing
Guangdong province, he said.
The partnership also allows for joint organization of international
workshops, conferences, seminars and symposia focusing on science and
technology development in the region, and the undertaking of mutually
beneficial joint courses and professional programs.
Guangdong province is one of the most developed regions in China, with
half a million tertiary level students graduating every year. Fifty-two
percent of them graduate from three-year colleges, while the remaining
48 per cent graduate from four-year undergraduate programs.
Mr. Victor Chan said he will meet with various academic institutions
in Guangdong to identify specific programs for collaboration with AIT,
especially involving the Master’s degree programs. AIT can expect to
receive groups of people from China in the coming months to learn about
AIT, he added.
Officials on hand to witness the MoU signing included Prof. I.M.
Pandey, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Amjad Ali, Head
of External Relations and Communications Office (ERCO), Mr. Tenzin
Rabgyal, Senior Program Officer, ERCO, and Mr. Qi Xinjian, President of
the AIT Chinese Student Association.
