By AIT Public Affairs
18 January 2025 – The Gender and Development Studies (GDS) Program at the School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD) of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) inaugurated two new smart classrooms on 17 January 2025. This state-of-the-art facility was developed under the project, Transdisciplinary Higher Education for Global Wellbeing THE-GLOW project, an EU Erasmus+ initiative aimed at transforming higher education by equipping future workforces with transdisciplinary skills to address global challenges.
Spearheaded by Thammasat University, THE-GLOW brings together leading partner institutions in Thailand and Europe, including AIT, Kasetsart University, Heidelberg University (Germany), and Maastricht University (Netherlands). Spanning from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2025, the project aims to enhance transdisciplinary curriculum development, equip faculty with innovative teaching strategies, and deliver jointly developed problem-solving courses to graduate students.
As part of the project, two classrooms—W226 and W224B—underwent significant technological and structural upgrades. Supported by THE-GLOW grant and additional contributions from AIT, these enhancements play a vital role in building the capacity of Thai partner institutions.
During the inauguration, AIT President Prof. Pai-Chi Li shared his optimism about the initiative, stating, “This smart classroom is a significant new addition to our institution, joining several other innovative learning spaces across AIT. I am confident that this hub of cutting-edge technology will transform learning experiences, foster collaboration, and prepare our students to thrive in the future workforce. Together, we are empowering the next generation to create a meaningful and lasting impact on the world.”
Prof. Dr. Marc G. Van der Putten from Thammasat University’s Faculty of Public Health highlighted the critical role of such initiatives in reshaping higher education. He remarked, “The integration of advanced digital tools within these classrooms is about creating an ecosystem where faculty and students co-create solutions for the pressing challenges of our time. This collaboration equips educators with innovative teaching strategies and empowers students to approach sustainability challenges with a transdisciplinary mindset. It reflects the essence of THE-GLOW project—bridging disciplines, institutions, and regions to build a more resilient future.”
The project underscores the importance of transdisciplinary approaches in addressing interconnected societal, environmental, economic, and health challenges. By integrating perspectives from academia, government, industry, and communities, this initiative fosters innovation and prepares students for cross-disciplinary collaboration. To learn more about the project please visit https://theglow-project.org/
During the tour of the new facilities, GDS faculty Dr. Joyee S. Chatterjee and Prof. Kyoko Kusakabe, emphasized the classrooms’ student-centered design and features embodying pedagogical principles of active learning and student engagement. They commended the collective efforts of donors, partner institutions, and AIT faculty, staff, and students over the past one year who helped realize the goal of establishing these collaborative and digitally enhanced learning spaces to foster transdisciplinary learning. Marking the occasion, Prof. Kusakabe noted, “These advancements reflect GDS’s commitment to excellence in gender studies and innovative education and mark a new milestone in our 28-year history.”
Concluding the event, Prof. P. Abdul Salam, Dean of SERD, remarked, “This project embodies AIT’s commitment to innovation and collaboration. It is a testament to what we can achieve together, and I look forward to continuing this journey toward transformative education.”
The meeting was also attended by Dr. Li Liang, PI of the GLOW project; Mr. Russell Rein, Vice President for Administration at AIT and Mr. Somchai Eiumsam-ang from OFAM, all of whom have supported the renovation of the classrooms in various ways.
