By Shawn Kelly
Representatives from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) on August 7 joined the final session of Girls in ICT Day Thailand 2025 at the United Nations Convention Centre in Bangkok. The event was co-organized by the Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), and the ITU Asia-Pacific Regional Office, and hosted by the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office in Thailand. The occasion highlighted AIT’s continued role as a key partner in this nation-level initiative under the global theme “Girls in ICT for Inclusive Digital Transformation.”
Launched in 2011 by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), International Girls in ICT Day is a global initiative that inspires girls and young women to explore opportunities in information and communication technologies (ICTs) and pursue careers in the sector.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, said in a video message: “This year’s theme calls on all of us to close the digital gender divide in all its forms,” citing the fact that 189 million fewer women than men worldwide used the internet in 2024. “It can look like equipping girls and young women with digital skills, opening opportunities for technology leadership, and breaking down barriers that hold women and girls back,” she said.
Coordinating AIT’s participation in the 2025, Danielle Duan, Head of Emerging Market International Cooperation, addressed the opening ceremony on April 24 at NBTC headquarters in Bangkok. Speaking alongside industry leaders from Cisco, Huawei, and ZTE, she emphasized AIT’s role in bridging academia and industry.
“By linking industry expertise with its academic and training mission, AIT plays a bridging role—helping show how girls and young women could translate exposure to corporate innovation into tangible career pathways and skills development opportunities in the ICT sector,” Ms. Duan said.
Over the following three months, AIT actively contributed to training programs focused on leadership in digital transformation, digital skills empowerment, and experiential learning.
In line with the theme “Inclusive Digital Transformation,” AIT welcomed more than 30 Thai students, both girls and boys, to two hands-on training programs in STEM and digital technologies. A highlight was the ICT-Driven Precision Farming Workshop, hosted by AIT’s Digital Agriculture Lab, which introduced participants from rural backgrounds to smart farming technologies. Students explored the Smart Greenhouse and Hydroponics Facility and learned how tools such as remote sensing and artificial intelligence can transform modern agriculture.
ICT-Driven Precision Farming Workshop hosted by AIT’s Digital Agriculture Lab.
Reflecting on the experience, Pimonrut Nantamud (Aum), a third-year student at Thammasat University, said: “I gained a deeper understanding of how ICT can be applied in agriculture, and the experience opened my mind to technology for supporting sustainability.”
Another program, led by AIT’s Computer Science and Information Management faculty, introduced students to data science, artificial intelligence, and other ICT applications. The program also featured experiential visits to Thailand’s EEC Automation Park and Space Inspirium, designed to spark interest in digital skills and STEM careers. Liu Xinjie, an AIT student volunteer, commented: “Participating gave me a strong sense of inclusion and responsibility.”
Experiential learning visits to the EEC Automation Park and Space Inspirium in Thailand.
The final session at the United Nations highlighted the achievements of 10 intensive training programs, supported by partners including Thailand’s Ministry of Education (MOE), UNICEF, Mahidol University, AIT, Cisco, Huawei, ICANN, and the Digital Council of Thailand. Altogether, the initiative engaged more than 700 students and teachers nationwide.
AIT representative and students with organizer officials of the NBTC and the ITU Asia-Pacific Regional Office.
Participants and organizer officials of the NBTC, MDES, MOE, Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), the UN and the ITU Asia-Pacific Regional Office.
The closing event also provided a platform for participants to share experiences, showcase new skills, and make recommendations for future activities.
Reaffirming its pledge to the global initiative championed by ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), AIT underscored its role as a regional hub for innovation, capacity building, and inclusive digital transformation. Through its leadership and participation, AIT continues working to close the digital divide and ensure that the next generation of young women leaders in STEM and ICT can shape a barrier-free digital future.
More information on the ITU BDT Director’s March 2025 visit to AIT can be found here: AIT welcomes ITU Telecommunication Bureau Director and takes center stage at Regional Development Forum 2025.
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Shawn Kelly is Executive Director of International and Public Affairs, AIT.
