By Leilani Gallardo
08 October 2007
The Bang Pa Canal, which serpentines across Thailand’s agricultural Ratchaburi province for thirty-seven kilometers, is a vital source of fresh water for many area farmers. However, the constant dumping of untreated wastewater into the canal by upstream industrial establishments and pig farms has taken a severe toll.
Dr. Ram C. Bhujel, an affiliated faculty member in the Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management (AARM) Field of Study, School of Environment, Resources and Development, has been successful in winning a project entitled, "Linking the post-graduate education in aquaculture and aquatic resources management with its industries", through a global competitive process funded by EU under the Asia-Link Program.
AIT's proposal "Linking Thai Jasmine Rice farmers with markets using participatory action research for sustainability of rain-fed lowland rice-based system of Northeast Thailand" has been accepted for funding by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The total grant amount for this 24-month project is US$ 243,000 with co-financing / funding (in-kind) of US$ 110,000. The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Southeast Asia is AIT's partner in the initiative.
Dr. Kyoko Kusakabe and colleagues in the Gender and Development Studies field of study, School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD), have been awarded the project on "Capacity Building for Gender Poverty and Mobility Analysis of Road Transportation Development in GMS Region" by the ASEAN Foundation.
AIT has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges (DICE), Ministry of Education, People Republic of China. The agreement was signed on 27 September 2007, at a reception marking the 58th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, which was hosted by H.E. Mr. Zhang Jiuhuan, Ambassador of the China to Thailand.
Following the meeting of AIT President Said Irandoust with Dr. Ir. Gatot Hari Priowirjanto,
Head, Bureau of Planning and International Cooperation, Ministry of National Education, Indonesia, AIT was informed through the AIT Center in Indonesia (AITCI) that the Ministry will be providing ten new scholarships for the AIT-AITCI-Universitas Gadja Mada (UGM), dual degree program in Transportation Engineering.
AIT President Said Irandoust, together with Professor Vilas Wuwongse, Vice President, External Relations; Professor C. Visvanathan; Dr. Nitin Afzulpurkar; and Dr. Do Ba Khang, took part in the recent AIT Center Vietnam (AITCV) Council of Advisors Meeting, which was chaired by H.E. Professor Tran Van Nhung, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), on 21 September 2007.
High on the agenda of the meeting was a review of the AITCV Strategic Plan for 2006-2010, which was described as a very progressive and forward-looking plan prepared by Dr. Fredric W. Sweirczek, AITCV Director, and other officials at AITCV. The financial forecast of AITCV for 2007 is very promising, officials said, and the Center is expected to end the year in a surplus situation.
During a recent visit to Vietnam on 21 September 2007, President Irandoust signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) between AIT and PetroVietnam. Under the partnership, AIT and PetroVietnam will be launching a Professional Master’s of Engineering in Project Management in Construction (MPM), initiated by Dr. BHW Hadikusumo and faculty members of the School of Engineering and Technology (SET).
For more information about PetroVietnam visit: http://www.
AIT’s considerable expertise in e-learning and distance education has attracted the interest Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, who are now engaged in initial-stage discussions for a capacity building tie-up with AIT’s Internet Education and Research Laboratory (IntERLab). http://www.
The Energy Field of Study at SERD recently purchased an Interactive Electronic Whiteboard (Panasonic's Interactive Panaboard UB-8325). The Interactive Whiteboard functions as an interactive board, an electronic whiteboard, a projector screen and an electronic print board.