AIT helps Thai education branding
Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) has made an enormous contribution in creating a Thailand education brand, and ensuring that Thailand emerges as a educational destination for students all over the world.
Prof. Said Irandoust, President of AIT made these points on the occasion of the fifty-second anniversary of AIT. Since its establishment in 1959, he pointe out that AIT has been attracting students, teachers, trainers and educational partners from all over the world.
Since that day when AIT was established as the SEATO Graduate School of Engineering, AIT has acted like a magnet for international students who want to study in an international institute of higher education based in Thailand.
"AIT has helped Thailand emerge as a regional hub of higher education and learning, and this is no small contribution," said Irandoust adding that with the reestablishment of AIT as an International Intergovernmental Institute, AIT's role and stature has been enhanced considerably.
He said that HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has studied at AIT and continues to be an honorary faculty member. AIT's alumni have acquired ministerial positions not just in Thailand, but in many countries in South and South East Asia, he added. They have risen to positions of CEOs of major companies, contributing to economic progress in the region.
The President elaborated on AIT's achievements stating that it has been honoured with the Magsaysay Award in 1989 and the Friendship Order of the Government of Vietnam in 2006. AIT is Thailand's top per capita research institute of higher learning, according to the Thailand Research Fund. It has also been identified as a Research Center of Excellence by the Rockfeller Foundation.