Bangkok--20 Dec--The Asian Institute of Technology
222 students from 20 countries and three continents receive graduate degrees at Thailand’s international intergovernmental institute of higher learning
The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) recently (17 December 2010) conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) on Pakistan’s eminent scientist H.E. Professor Atta-Ur-Rahman at its 114th Graduation Ceremony.
A renowned figure in his home country, H.E. Professor Atta-Ur-Rahman is coordinator general of the Committee on Science and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), Pakistan, and is a UNESCO Science Laureate.
Conferring the honorary degree, Prof. Said Irandoust, President, AIT, remarked that this honor was recognition of his revolutionary contribution to higher education in Pakistan. “AIT recognizes the immense impact that visionaries like Prof. Atta-Ur-Rahman have had on society,” Prof. Irandoust said.
The first scientist from the Muslim world to have won the prestigious UNESCO Science Prize (1999), H.E. Prof. Atta-Ur-Rahman, is credited for reforming his country’s university Grants Commission and turning it into the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of today.
A total of 222 students from 20 countries and three continents received degrees at the Commencement Ceremony held at the AIT Conference Center Auditorium in Pathumthani. Mr. David Hulse, The Ford Foundation Representative, Jakarta, Indonesia, delivered the Convocation Address.
Vietnamese were the largest number of graduates with 110, while Thai graduates made up the second largest group by nationality with 61, followed by India and Nepal. Four Pakistani nationals also graduated.
Chairman, Board of Trustees, AIT, and former Foreign Minister of Thailand, H.E. Dr. Tej Bunnag, while reading the citation for conferment of the honorary degree, said that thanks Prof. Rahman’s strong support AIT has a fruitful relationship with the HEC. Since 2003, AIT has continuously admitted HEC-nominated students from Pakistan, including those admitted under the 5-year Integrated Master’s and Doctoral program whereby students receive two degrees.
H.E. Professor Atta-ur-Rahman obtained his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Cambridge University (1968). He has over 830 publications in leading international journals in several fields of organic chemistry, including 654 research publications, 18 patents, 99 books and 59 chapters in books published by major U.S. and European presses. Seventy-two students have completed their Ph.D. degrees under his supervision.
Caption: H.E. Dr. Tej Bunnag (right), Chairman of AIT Board of Trustees, is seen congratulating Prof. Atta-Ur-Rahman (middle), while Prof. Said Irandoust (left), AIT President, looks on.