The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) today (17 December 2010)
conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa)
on Pakistan’s eminent scientist H.E. Professor Atta-Ur-Rahman at its
114th Graduation Ceremony.
A renowned figure in his home country, H.E. Professor Atta-Ur-Rahman is
coordinator general of the Committee on Science and Technological
Cooperation (COMSTECH), Pakistan, and is a UNESCO Science Laureate.
Conferring the honorary degree, Prof. Said Irandoust, President, AIT,
remarked that this honor was recognition of his revolutionary
contribution to higher education in Pakistan. “AIT recognizes the
immense impact that visionaries like Prof. Atta-Ur-Rahman have had on
society,” Prof. Irandoust said.
The first scientist from the Muslim world to have won the prestigious
UNESCO Science Prize (1999), H.E. Prof. Atta-Ur-Rahman, is credited for
reforming his country’s university Grants Commission and turning it
into the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of today.
A total of 222 students from 20 countries and three continents received
degrees at the Commencement Ceremony held at the AIT Conference Center
Auditorium in Pathumthani. Mr. David Hulse, The Ford Foundation
Representative, Jakarta, Indonesia, delivered the Convocation
Address.
Vietnamese were the largest number of graduates with 110, while Thais
made up the second largest group by nationality with 61, followed by
India and Nepal. Four Pakistani nationals also earned degrees.
Chairman, Board of Trustees, AIT, and former Foreign Minister of
Thailand, H.E. Dr. Tej Bunnag, while reading the citation for
conferment of the honorary degree, said that thanks Prof. Rahman’s
strong support AIT has a fruitful relationship with the HEC. Since
2003, AIT has continuously admitted HEC-nominated students from
Pakistan, including those admitted under the 5-year Integrated Master’s
and Doctoral program whereby students receive two degrees, he
said.
H.E. Professor Atta-ur-Rahman obtained his Ph.D. in organic chemistry
from Cambridge University (1968). He has over 830 publications in
leading international journals in several fields of organic chemistry,
including 654 research publications, 18 patents, 99 books and 59
chapters in books published by major U.S. and European presses.
Seventy-two students have completed their Ph.D. degrees under his
supervision.
