Bangkok--22 Jul--Asian Institute of Technology
Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, President of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Dr. José Manuel Pi?a Gutiérrez, Rector, Universidad Juárez Autónoma De Tabasco (UJAT), Mexico, to initiate cooperative activities in Aquaculture and Aquatic Resource Management between the two universities.
Dr. Gutiérrez, who led a delegation of five officials from UJAT for the signing ceremony on 17 July 2015, expressed a keen desire to work with the Asian Institute of Technology, saying his university and the institute have much in common in terms of societal mission and academic and research agenda.
Both institutions have a climate change center and possess reputable academic programs in energy and food production, he said. Other fields which can be explored under the agreement are Applied Genetics and Biotechnology, Energy and Wireless Sensor Technology.
President Worsak said he was impressed by UJAT's "Social Inclusion" ethos, and pointed out its similarity to AIT's guiding principles. The AIT president welcomed the new partnership with the largest university in southeastern Mexico.
UJAT has an enrollment of 29,000 undergraduates and about 1,000 postgrads. Dr. Gutiérrez was also impressed by AIT’s postgraduate emphasis, saying his university could support some 6-week student exchanges to AIT through its “scientific summer” program, and also 6-month student mobility programs.
Dr. Gutiérrez added that if the case for social benefit was made clear, the university would be in a position to apply for financial funding support through national government agencies for UJAT students and staff to earn Masters and Doctoral degrees at AIT, mainly in aquaculture.
A big priority of the Mexican government is greatly increasing food production to feed its 120 million citizens. Currently the country imports half of its required annual food intake, Dr. Gutiérrez said.
UJAT is located in Tabasco, a state in southeastern Mexico possessing huge oil and natural gas reserves. Dr. Gutiérrez told AIT officials that his public university is, however, mindful of the future and the day energy stocks will end. “I believe aquaculture is a huge growth industry in Mexico and we plan to develop it as a vital sector for the local economy,” he said.
Assistant Prof. K. R. Salin of the Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management (AARM) field of study at the School of Resources, Environment and Development previously worked with UJAT and liaised to establish the new partnership.
After touring some research areas with Dr. Salin, Dr. Gutiérrez said he was convinced Thailand and Mexico share many objectives in common. “We have the same attitude and latitude with this part of the world when it comes to farming and food.”
The rector also shared his view that AIT and UJAT are a good fit for each other. “Both institutes aim to apply research to extension work in order to improve farmers’ results. Just like AIT does this for the Asian region, we want to improve our research to benefit Mexico and Central America.”
Photo shows from left: Assistant Prof. K. R. Salin; Prof. Kazuo Yamamoto, AIT Vice President for Resource Development; AIT President Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai; and Dr. José Manuel Pi?a Gutiérrez, UJAT Rector.