August 4, 2022 – The AIT Board of Trustees Meeting was held at the Robert B Banks Auditorium (AIT Conference Center) on August 4, 2022.
AIT was founded in 1959 to develop the Asia Pacific region and beyond, and it serves as a neutral platform for international cooperation and dialogue and cooperation on regional issues. As a neutral platform, AIT seeks to produce global leaders and work on issues that no single country can solve on its own. AIT is a place where its community of faculty, students, staff, and researchers receives ample opportunities to create friendships and networks from all over the globe. AIT seeks to confront challenges with a cross-country dimension, like climate change, disaster management, etc.
Twice a year, all members of AIT’s international Board of Trustees convened to discuss challenges, find solutions, and develop strategies for the betterment of the institute, the host nation, and the region.
The meeting chaired by Dr. Tongchat Hongladaromp was held in person after years of COVID-19 restrictions, with very high participation, including overseas Board of Trustees members; representatives from local government Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), Thailand; student representative, and representative from the AIT society and local resident in the campus. He welcomed and thanked all the members present and mentioned that it would be the last Board meeting for President Eden Woon. He then announced the appointment of Prof. Kazuo Yamamoto as the new interim President, effective September 1, 2022.
The Board approved the extension of the term of two Vice Chairmen, Dr. Anat Arbhabirama and Dr. Za-Chieh Moh Moh; the renewal of the term of trustees completing their first term – Ambassador of Cambodia, H.E. Mr. Out Sorphom and Ambassador of Nepal, H.E. Mr. Ganesh Prasad Dhakal; and the appointment of Vice Chairman Dr. Suwit Khunkitti as a new member of the Board’s Nomination Committee.
The agenda for the meeting included the Report from the Executive Committee, Report from the President on his four years of accomplishments at AIT from 2018 to 2022, Proposal on the HUB Project for Vietnam, 5-months Financial Performance, Professorial Appointments, Updates from the Task Force on Strategy and the AIT Presidential Search Committee (PSC).
The Board members thanked the Ambassador of the Republic of India to Thailand, H.E. Ms. Suchitra Durai, for her valuable contributions. She was attending her last Board meeting, having completed her term in Thailand.
Finally, the Board members also thanked Dr. Eden Woon, who will be completing his tenure at the end of August 2022, and conveyed their deep appreciation for his dedication and hard work in leading the Institute. They all wished Dr. Woon good luck and success in his future endeavors.
The Next Board of Trustees Meeting will be held on January 31, 2023, and August 10, 2023.
