Mainstreaming water management into economic, social and environmental sustainability objectives is a key challenge that water professionals will face in the coming years, with an objective of balancing costs and benefits of national water assets within our socio-economic environment. Highlighting 50 years of developments in the water sector was Dr. Mogens Dyhr-Nielsen, who was delivering the Second AIT Distinguished Adjunct Faculty (DAF) Seminar on 22 September 2015.

Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) for launching a Unified Bachelor-Master Degree Program. The MoA was signed by Dr. Stephen Mavely, Vice Chancellor of ADBU, and Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, President of AIT on 21 September 2015.

The developmental state has been successful in Asia because of its careful intervention in the economy and on account of its policy of promoting growth with equity. However, can this lead to the emergence of more developmental states, and is China moving towards being a developmental state? These issues were raised by Dr. Trevor Parfitt of University of Nottingham, Malaysia, while delivering a talk on “Neo-Liberalism or the State” on 15 September 2015 at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT).

Public Health Institute, (PHI), Khartoum, Sudan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) for strengthening its health system services, particularly in times of disasters. The MoU was signed by Dr. Abdalla Siedahmed Osman, Director, PHI, with Prof. Sivanappan Kumar, Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA), AIT on 16 September 2015.

Spain’s national technology development agency, Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnologico Industrial (CDTI) is looking towards creating partnerships in Thailand, with an emphasis on health, energy, food and agriculture, and information and communication technologies.

AIT students won the “Highest Award” and the “Excellent Group Award” at HydroAsia 2015 held from 10-15 August 2015 in Dae-jeon, South Korea. Ms. Thedini Asali Peiris was the winner of the “Highest Award” granted by the Ministry of Education, South Korea, while the team comprising of Mr. Anil Aryal and Ms. Aye Chan Myint won the “Excellent Group Award” for their group work on modelling the Geum River Basin, South Korea.

Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) has collaborated with Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT PLC) to organize its first-ever technical training program for the aviation sector. The program, which was held from 4-11 September 2015 focussed on “Aviation Ground Operations Management.”