Socialist Republic of Viet Nam has become the eighth country to join the Council of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). According to an official communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Royal Thai Government, the AIT Charter comes into force for Vietnam on 8 June 2012.

At the recent 117th AIT Graduation Ceremony, the School of Management received a surprise group donation of Baht 32,000 from some of its newest graduates – the 2012 Graduating Batch of AIT Vietnam’s EMBA program.

Prominent alumnus Mr. Herbert Vongpusanachai, General Manager, DHL Express Singapore, who graduated from AIT’s School of Management, addressed the new AIT graduates at the 117th Graduation Ceremony and welcomed them as members of the 19,000-strong alumni.

The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand celebrated its 117th Graduation Ceremony on 1 June 2012 in a vivid display of internationality. It was the first commencement ceremony since AIT renewed its status as an international intergovernmental organization, and it was marked by an emotional tribute to a fallen student.

Ms. Shruti, a graduate of the Food Engineering and Bioprocess Technology field of study, School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD), and recipient of the Hisamatsu Prize and the Yoh Kurosawa Prize, delivered the Most Outstanding Student Address on behalf of the 117th Graduating Class.

Former President and CEO of Government Savings Bank (2004-2007), Thailand, Mr. Goanpot Asvinvichit, delivered the Graduation Address at the 117th AIT Graduation Ceremony. Mr. Asvinvichit is now Advisor to the Board of Trade of Thailand, Board of Directors of Thai Oil Public Company Limited, Chairman of the Board of Directors of CIMB-Principle Asset Management Company Limited, Chairman of MFC Energy Fund and Advisor to the Board of Directors of MFC Asset Management Public Company Limited.

AIT is a research-focused institute brimming with students eager to present their latest work to the public. At the inaugural SU Research Poster Showcase on 29 May 2012 young AIT researchers did just that, catching the eye of the AIT Community with engaging posters.

Japan has assisted the Asian Institute of Technology for over four decades by extending scholarships, expert faculty secondments, infrastructure development, endowments and other grants. Last year, in particular, the Government of Japan dispatched pumping vehicles to remove water from the AIT main campus in the wake of its flooding.

Japan’s support to the Asian Institute of Technology has had an indelible impact for forty-three years, President Prof. Said Irandoust remarked at an awarding ceremony to congratulate AIT Japanese Government Scholarship recipients for 2011, and to celebrate scholarship holders graduating at the 117th AIT Graduation ceremony.

A doctoral student of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Ms. Rizwana Subhani, has received a grant from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for pursuing her research. She is one of the nine recipients for the term 2011-2012.