AIT, TU and NSTDA sign accord
On Friday 10 June 2005, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thammasat University (TU), and the National Science and Development Agency (NSTDA) launched the first-ever academic cooperation among the three Pathum Thani institution neighbors through the signing of the Land Lease Contract and Memorandum of Understanding on Academic and Inter-institutional Cooperation between AIT and TU, and a Memorandum of Understanding between AIT and NSTDA.
Prof. Mario T. Tabucanon, Acting AIT President and Provost welcomes the attendees
The contract and MoUs were signed by Prof. Mario T. Tabucanon, AIT Acting President; Prof. Surapon Nitikraipot, Rector of TU; and Associate Prof. Sakarindr Bhumiratana, President of NSTDA. Mr. Thakur Phanit, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand, and Dr. Siriporn Khampalikit, Vice-Rector, General Administration, TU, served as the official witnesses.
The signing ceremony of the Contract and MoUs was held at the AIT Conference Center, followed by a Joint Meeting on Cooperation between the three parties, discussing on the areas where there could be further collaboration among them.
The MoUs cover academic cooperation through the exchange of scholars/experts, sharing of resources and facilities, sharing of materials and information, joint research projects, development of joint academic activities and educational linkages among others. The three institutions will also foster relationships through the strengthening of inter-institutional cooperation through cultural, sports and other related activities.
On academic cooperation, during the 30-year period of the land lease agreement, AIT will annually provide up to two full tuition fellowships/scholarships or its equivalent to qualified TU lecturers to study at AIT in selected fields of study. They will organize joint conferences, workshops and training courses in areas of mutual interest and will make available their academic facilities such as library, science and technology laboratories, equipment etc. to AIT and TU faculty, staff, and students with prior agreed arrangements. The two institutes will develop educational linkage programs in the field of science and technology, selecting the best and brightest from AIT and TU for advanced studies to produce much needed resources for the region and the country.
On community cooperation, AIT and TU will share sports facilities to promote and facilitate cultural and sports activities. This will include the use of TU's housing and conference facilities to AIT community and the use of AIT Conference Center for TU's conferences, trainings, and workshops. Children of TU faculty and staff can be admitted to study at the AIT Community School, while TU will offer hospital and medical services to AIT faculty, staff, and students.
The MoU between AIT and NSTDA covers the exchange of scholars through teaching, research and training activities at both institutions. Apart from mutual exchange of materials and information, joint research, joint organization of conferences, workshops and training courses, AIT will admit qualified applicants recommended by NSTDA to study at AIT in selected fields of study. The two organizations will also promote and facilitate academic and research activities by making available each other's facilities in support of such activities. They will also provide existing facilities for conducting conferences, trainings, workshops etc. at the same rates offered to their own institutions. Children of NSTDA researchers and staff can study at the AIT Community School.
In recent years, NSTDA have sponsored several research projects carried out by AIT faculty. These include MTEC Medical Technology and Student Research, Development of a Medical Tele-Analyzer by Force-Displacement Hybrid Tactile Sensor and Actuator for Abdominal Mass Analysis, Development of Rubberized Asphalt from Used Rubber Tire Scrap for Infrastructure Construction (through MTEC), and Shrinfo-Shrimp Research Information Database Phase II (through BIOTEC).
Ongoing research projects supported by NSTDA include new software for 5-Axis Machining Optimization, Simulation, and Verification, Zns Nanophosphors for Field Effect Devices and DNA Labelling Applications (through MTEC), Development of Generic Smart MEMS Based Control System (through NECTEC), Development of Operational Flood Forecasting system Case Study: Chao Phraya River Basin (through NECTEC), Cryogenic Preservation of Threatened Pangasiid Catfishes on Thailand (through BIOTEC).
NSTDA has also supported the International Symposium on Nanotechnology in Environmental Protection and Pollution and the Technopreneur Development Program.
At the joint meeting among the three parties, AIT discussed the following thematic subject areas: Strategic Alliance Between AIT-TU-NSTDA, Nanotechnology, Medical Technology, Biotechnological Methods for the Rapid Detection of Pathogens and Contaminants, Ecological Research, Geosynthetics and their Applications in Thailand, Telecom and ICT: Research City, Intelligent Vehicle, Wind Tunnel, Tsunami and Natural Hazards, and Internet Education and Research Laboratory (IntERLab).
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