Bangkok--21 Jul--Asian Institute of Technology
The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) has tapped a Thai national as its next president, betting on a man acclaimed for progressive, international higher education thinking and connecting advanced academic pursuits with industry.
Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, an award winning structural engineer and member of Thailand’s Royal Institute, on 17 July 2014 was appointed as the 7th president in the fifty-four year history of AIT.
The Thai scholar brings many firsts to this position. He is the first AIT alumnus, first Asian and first Thai national to be selected as president. Prof. Worsak graduated from Chulalongkorn University, AIT, and the University of California, Berkeley on a Fullbright Scholarship.
Elected by the AIT Board of Trustees to a term of four years, Prof. Worsak takes the helm of the region’s preeminent institute at a time of transition. Earlier, he had served as the institute’s interim president since 1 July 2013.
Founded in 1959, AIT operates in Thailand as a neutral and independent international institution with a regional higher education mandate. By positioning the institute as a regional hub that boosts Thailand’s internationalization in higher education, Prof. Worsak aims to reaffirm AIT’s position as a top educational and research institution that can benefit the emerging Asean Economic Community (AEC) and the rest of Asia, while building on its established successes.
Known for educating leading engineers, scientists, teachers, managers, and entrepreneurs, AIT is a recognized Asian leader in fields such as civil and industrial engineering, environment, energy, food, disaster management, IT and informatics, sustainable development in the context of climate change, and management of technology.