The eight member strong delegation from Vietnam, which visited AIT on
18 April 2011, stated that they would prepare a final proposal and
complete all formalities, so that the concept of AIT satellite campus
in Vietnam can be presented to the appropriate authorities. Mr. Thuan
stated that an area ranging between 22-25 hectares will be available
exclusively to AIT to establish a university at Ho Chi Minh City. The
land demarcation follows a meeting with participants of various
departments of Ho Chi Minh City. Located in the North West part of Ho
Chi Minh City, the area will also host two other university
campuses.
“I have already informed the Vice Prime Minister of Vietnam and the
Vice Minister of Education about the proposal to partner with AIT to
establish a University,” Mr. Thuang added. “We are requesting AIT to
open a University in Ho Chi Minh City to help meet the human resource
needs of not just our city, but also of entire Vietnam,” Mr. Thuan
said, while addressing senior AIT officials.
Prof. Said Irandoust, President, AIT, while welcoming the proposal
described it as “very promising.” Stating that the support of the
Government of Vietnam is very important, Prof. Irandoust thanked Mr.
Thuan for supporting the concept of an AIT satellite campus in his
interaction with various levels of the Government in Vietnam. “With
support from the Government, a strong partner from the private sector,
and an institute of higher learning like AIT; we now have all the
needed components to establish an AIT satellite campus in Vietnma,”
Prof. Irandoust remarked.
Mr. Thuan stated that Ho Chi Minh City has been entrusted with the
responsibility of creating an industrial zone. To achieve this, it is
critical to address the issue of human resources, he said. While Ho Chi
Minh City has a foreign university which was established in 1997, but
it concentrates on languages and management. “The City needs an
engineering and technology university, and we invite AIT for this
purpose,” he said.
The delegation also included representatives of Portcoast Consultant
Corporation, which is a key driver in the project. Portcoast and AIT
are jointly engaging a consultant for evaluating the AIT-Vietnam
proposal. Portcoast currently has 30 AIT alumni among its
employees.
Apat from Mr. Thuan, other members of the delegation included Mr. Tran
Tan Phuc, Chairman and CEO of Portcoast; Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Director
of Northwestern Urban Area Investment and Construction Management Unit;
Mr. Nguyen The Minh, Head of Culture, Sports and Tourism Section, Ho
Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment; Dr. Tran Doan Tho,
Advisor to the Chairman of Portcoast; Dr. Truong Ngoc Tuong, Chief
Engineer and AIT alumnus; Mr. Nguyen Hong Hong; and Ms. Nguyen Tam
Trinh, Financial Director, Portcoast.
AIT was represented by Prof. Joydeep Dutta, Vice President for
Academic Affairs; Prof. Sudip Kumar Rakshit, Vice President for
Research; Prof. Phan Minh Dung of Computer Science and Information
Management (CSIM) field of study from AIT’s School of Engineering and
Technology (SET); Dr. Do Ba Khang of AIT’s School of Management (SOM);
Dr. Sun Sayamipuk, Head, Contract Management Office (CMO); Dr. Tien Le
Hoang, Head, Alumni; Ms. Wannapa Pliansri, Coordinator, RTG Relations
Coordinator; and Ms. Tiamkare Thitithamtada, Program Officer,
ERCO.
