Bangkok--18 Aug--Asian Institute of Technology
Four new agreements were signed by the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) with organizations in China, as the Thailand-based institute sought to strengthen its ties with its counterparts.
AIT President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai led an AIT delegation to China in early August and met with senior officials from the government, universities, research institutions and international organizations during a week-long visit. “The agreements also lay the basis for the possibility of getting support from UNESCO to establish “Regional Center for Open Educational Resources (RCOER)” at AIT, increase student intake from China, and open the way for the launch of both professional and integrated programs,” Prof. Worsak said.
Four agreements were signed by Prof. Worsak with Guizhou Provincial Education Department, Guizhou Vocational and Technical College (GVTC), Guizhou Institute of Technology (GIT), and the Nanjing Institute of Rail Technology (NIRT) respectively.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Guizhou Provincial Education Department, which was signed by its Deputy Director Zhou Baoying, opens a gateway for Chinese students to apply the Guizhou Provincial Scholarships Fund to study at AIT as well as lay the basis of a visiting faculty program with support from the China Scholarship Council (CSC), while the agreement with GVTC, which was signed by its President Prof Chen Guizhou, focusses on on high-speed rail transit collaboration.
The MOU with GIT signed by its Vice President Prof. Song Jianbo, seeks to launch an Integrated Bachelor's and Master's Degrees Program, as well as lay the basis of a visiting faculty program with support from the China Scholarship Council (CSC). The agreement with NIRT, which was signed by its President Qian Ji Kui, is targeted on human resources development in rail transport system.
Besides the agreements, the AIT team also participated in the Regional Expert Meeting on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for Higher Education at Chengdu, Sichuan Province, as special guests of Dr. Du Yue, Secretary-General of China's National Commission of UNESCO; Prof Wang Li, Deputy Director of UNESCO International Research and Training Center for Rural Education (INRULED); and Mr. Wang Libing, UNESCO's Asia-Pacific Programme of Educational Education for Development (APEID). Deliberations with UNESCO included the proposal to establish RCOER, which will serve as a regional platform for promoting a better use of MOOC in Asia and the Pacific.
Prof. Worsak also presented a keynote speech on "A Possible China-ASEAN Talent Cultivation Platform at AIT" at the China-ASEAN Rail Transit Talent Cultivation and the Future Development of City Forum. Dr. Surachet Pravinvongvuth of SET presented the details of a possible professional master program with collaboration with interested universities in China. The proposal is to launch a “Professional Master’s Degree Program on Rail System Engineering and Management,” which will be beneficial in light of Thailand’s plans to embark high-speed train technology from China and Japan, Prof. Worsak added.
Accompanying Prof Worsak to China were Prof. Voratas Kachitvichyanukul, Dean, School of Engineering and Technology (AIT); Prof. Nazrul Islam, Interim Dean, School of Management; Prof. Rajendra Shrestha, Academic Senate Chair; Dr. Surachet Pravinvongvuth of SET; Dr. Gabrielle Groves Punyaratabandhu, Head, External Relations and Communications Office (ERCO), and Ms. Wannapa Pliansri, Coordinator, Royal Thai Government (RTG), ERCO.
Photo caption: AIT team at the MoU signing agreement with Guizhou Institute of Technology (GIT).