AIT Team Conducts Promotion Mission to Australia
An AIT delegation in June 2005 visited Australia to conduct promotions. The delegation comprised of Prof. Chongrak Polprasert, Dean School of Environment, Resources and Development, and Acting Dean School of Civil Engineering, Prof. Athapol Noomhorm, Food Engineering and Bioprocess Technology Field of Study, School of Enviromnent, Resources and Development, Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Director of Promotions, and Mr. Kyaw Soe Hlaing, Alumni Relations Officer.
The team aimed to promote AIT in Australia and to promote alumni relations activities with AITAA Australia Chapter. The delegation held meetings from June 20 to 28 at the Universities of Melbourne, Geelong, Wollongong and Sydney as well as with AITAA Australia Chapter.
On 20 June, the AIT delegation held a meeting with Prof. Peter J. Coloe, Head of School of Applied Sciences, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Melbourne and senior officials from RMIT University at its City Campus.
Seated from left: Mr. Ian H. Fraser, Academic Development Coordinator, School of Applied Sciences, RMIT Univ.; Assoc. Prof. Margaret Deighton, Program Leader- Master of Biotechnology, RMIT Univ.; Assoc. Prof. Trevor Stevenson, Project Manager Food Science, RMIT Univ. and Prof. Chongrak Polprasert, Dean SERD and Acting Dean SCE, AIT.
Standing from left: Assoc. Prof. Roger Hadgraft, Teaching & Learning Director, School of Civil & Chemical Engineering, RMIT Univ.; Mr. Damian Barry, Manager, University Business Development, RMIT Univ.; Prof. Peter J. Coloe, Head of School of Applied Sciences, RMIT Univ.; Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Drector of Promotions, AIT and Prof. Athapol Noomhorm, FEBT FoS/SERD, AIT.
At the meeting discussions on possibilities of launching a dual masters degrees program initially in two fields, food engineering and bioprocess technology will be made between AIT and RMIT. Basically a student will take one year course work at AIT and take another one year course work plus research work at RMIT or vis-a`-vis one year at RMIT and another one year at AIT. This is a fee paying masters, where the student will pay the respective tuition fees to AIT and RMIT. It was agreed by both parties to pursue a general MoU between AIT and RMIT at university level then will be followed up by an articulation agreement at the school/field levels. Initially, it is projected to recruit at least two masters students to each institute. A general MoU shall be signed shortly and an articulation agreement shall be done in July/August to launch student recruitment activities in Thailand, China and possibly in Vietnam in October for January 2005 intake.
In the same afternoon, Prof. Chongrak, Prof. Athapol and Mr. Hlaing visited Laboratories of the School of Applied Sciences at RMIT University's Bundoora Campus while Mr. Jayasinghe visited the Business and International Office at City Campus. In the morning of 21 June, the AIT delegation had a round up meeting with Prof. Peter Coloe and senior officials of RMIT University and discussed a time frame for the implementation process.
In the late afternoon of 21 June, the AIT delegation met with Prof. Eric Meadows, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), Deakin University and its senior officials at Melbourne Toorak Campus. It was discussed that a dual masters degree program (similar to the one with RMIT) between AIT and Deakin, initially focusing on water and environmental engineering, will be launched. As in the same case with RMIT, a general MoU between AIT and Deakin will be pursued at the university level and will be followed up by an articulation agreement at school/field levels.
From left: Mr. Kyaw Soe Hlaing, Alumni Relations Officer, AIT; Dr. Sithamparappillai Jeyaseelan (EE'83), Srnior Lecturer, Deakin Univ.; Mr. Glen Meehan, International Marketing Manager, Deakin Univ.; Dr. Ian Colllings, Director, International and Collaborative Programs, Deakin Univ.; Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Director of Promotions, AIT; Prof. Eric Meadows, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), Deakin Univ.; prof. Chongrak Polprasert, Dean SERD and Acting Dean SCE, AIT; Dr. Kanagaratnam Baskara (EE'88), Head of School, School of Engineering and Technology, Deakin Univ.; and Prof. Athapol Noomhorm,FEBT FoS/SERD, AIT.
On 21 June, an alumni dinner was hosted by Assoc. Prof. Kanagaratnam Baskara (EE'88), Head of the School of Engineering and Technology, Deakin University and attended by AIT alumni working as faculty at Deakin University Geelong Campus.
In the morning of 22 June, the AIT delegation had a detailed discussion with Assoc. Prof. Kanagaratnam Baskara (EE'88) and senior officials of School of Engineering and Technology, Deakin University at Geelong Campus. It was discussed that a general MoU be pursued by mid-September and a student recruitment road show be held by end of October for January 2006 intake. Initially the water and environmental engineering fields will be focused and will be followed up by other fields such as Mechatronics, Telecommunications etc.
On 23 June 2005, Prof. Chris Cook, Dean of Faculty of Engineering, University of Wollongong-UOW and its senior officials hosted a luncheon for the AIT delegation. In the afternoon, the AIT delegation held a meeting with Professor Rob Castle, Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic) of University of Wollongong and its senior officials. It was discussed that an AIT-UOW dual masters degree program be implemented under the current AIT-UOW general MoU which is valid up to 15 October 2009.
From left: Dr. Hagare Bhimappa Dharmappa (EE'91) (Principal of Sterling College, Sydney), Senior Lecturer, Environmental Engineering, School of Civil, Mining & Environmental Engineering, UOW; Mr. Bill Damachis, International Manager, Faculties of Informatics & Engineering, UOW; Assoc. Prof. Muttucumaru Sivakumar (EV'76), Discipline Advisor (Leader) of Environmental Engineering, School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UOW; Prof. Rob Castle, Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic), UOW; Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Director of Promotions, AIT; Prof. Chongrak Polprasert, Dean SERD and Acting Dean SCE, AIT; Prof. Athapol Noomhorm, FEBT FoS/SERD, AIT; Mr. Anand Thakur (EV'87), President of AIT Alumni Association-Australia Chapter and Managing Director of EcoLogic Pty Ltd.
In the same afternoon, the AIT delegation held a detailed discussion with Prof. Chris Cook, Dean of Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Brian Uy, Head of School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, and senior officials of Faculty of Engineering, Deakin University. The initiative was brought up by Assoc. Prof. Muttucumaru Sivakumar (EV'76), Discipline Advisor (Leader) of Environmental Engineering, School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UOW, and Dr. Hagare Bhimappa Dharmappa (EE'91) (Principal of Sterling College, Sydney), Senior Lecturer, Environmental Engineering, School of Civil, Mining & Environmental Engineering, UOW. Detail discussion was focused on dual masters degree program in environmental engineering. Students shall study one year at AIT and another one year at UOW. Articulation agreement shall be followed up by the end of July or early August and student recruitment road show shall take place in September. It was also discussed that an expansion to other fields such as civil engineering will be made once the initial field of studies are successful.
At the dinner hosted by Dr. Dharmappa, the AIT delegation held a meeting with Mr. Anand Thakur (EE'87), President of AITAA Australia Chapter, and Managing Director, Ecology Pty Ltd., Mr. Bennett Bandalan Tesara (IEM'87), former President of AITAA Australia Chapter and Project Controller, Thomson Marconi Sonar, and Ms. Shirley Rowena A. Tesara, publication editor of AITAA Australia Chapter and Senior Analyst/Programmer, Retail Strategic Business Unit, Vero Insurance Limited.
On 27 June, Mr. Jayasinghe met with Mr. Andrew Little, Executive Director Education and Development, and Mr. Gary Greig, Director Academic Development, Australian College of Applied Psychology-ACAP which has branches in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne as well as off-shore programs in Singpore and Malaysia. ACAP is a higher education provider delivering accredited program from certificate to masters level in counseling, psychotherapy, psychology, social sciences, people management and leadership. It was discussed how ACAP may conduct a cooperation with the AIT Extension or SOM knowing the company's good reputation in organizing a conference at AIT on leadership issues, cross-cultural management etc. Also there are possibilities for ACAP faculty who will be involved in the delivery of AIT Institute wide courses in fields such as counseling, communication, people management and leadership, and approaches to cultural diversity, etc. Further correspondence will be maintained with a view to jointly work out the programs mentioned above.
On 28 June, assisted by Dr. Krishnamurthy Ramanathan (IEM'79&82), Program Director, Senior Lecturer, Operation Technology and Quality program Group, School of Management, University of Western Sydney-UWS, Mr. Jayasinghe met with Prof. Ross Chapman, Associate Dean (Research), College of Law and business, Assoc. Prof. Terry Sloan with regard to the preparation of an MoU with UWS-College of Law and Business and AIT's SOM. During the discussions it was felt that a dual degree MBA (within 2 year period) might be beneficial to prospective Asian students. Prof. Chapman will prepare a paper to be presented to the Pro Vice Chancellor (International) on a joint collaboration with AIT, and AIT's SOM will in return prepare the initial concept paper on the proposed dual degree program. Follow up work shall be done.
With the support and courtesy of the Australian Education International in Bangkok, and the proactive response of the AIT Alumni Association Australian Chapter President and its Executive Committee Members the mission carried out was progressive. Courtesy and special thanks goes to Mr. Ian Fraser, Academic Development Coordinator, School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, Assoc. Prof. Baskaran (EE'88), Dr. S. Jeyaseelan (EE'83), Assoc. Prof. Sivakumar (EV'76), Dr. Dharmappa (EE'91) and Dr. Ramanathan (IEM'79&82) for their kind support and coordination during the AIT Mission to Australia.