By Sanjeet Amatya & Karma Rana
The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) convened a Working Retreat at the Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin to deliberate on the implementation of the “Blueprint for the Future Direction of AIT.” The retreat brought together key members of AIT’s leadership, members of the Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, faculty and staff. With the theme “United We Stand,” the event served as a significant milestone in charting AIT’s transformative journey towards enhanced global relevance, sustainability, and academic excellence.
The Blueprint, approved by the Board of Trustees in August 2023, outlines strategic recommendations aimed at strengthening AIT’s academic, financial, and administrative frameworks. The retreat also marked the first major event presided over by AIT’s newly appointed President, Professor Pai-Chi Li, who assumed office on September 1, 2024. Prof. Li’s leadership and commitment to the Blueprint’s implementation were highlighted as crucial to restoring AIT’s prominence on the global stage.
The Vice Chairman of the Board and Chair of the AIT Strategy Implementation Task Force, Dr. Suwit Khunkitti in his opening remarks emphasized the importance of collaboration and unity in overcoming AIT’s challenges. He acknowledged the critical support of the Thai government, including the 15-million-baht seed funding, which underscores the government’s commitment to AIT’s revitalization.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Anat Arbhabhirama emphasized the importance of transforming AIT into a sustainable institution, likening this effort to corporate rehabilitation. The newly appointed AIT President Prof. Pai-Chi Li at the same time stressed the significance of effective implementation of the Blueprint, focusing on sustainability, innovation, and engagement with regional and global partners.
The opening session was followed by a comprehensive overview of the Blueprint presented by Prof. Deepak Sharma, a member of the Blueprint Task Force and former Vice President for Academic Affairs. He highlighted three potential pathways for AIT’s future: maintaining the status quo, reinvention, or exploring other possibilities. Dismissing the status quo as untenable, Prof. Sharma advocated for reinvention, which involves a global review of AIT’s identity, narrative, and positioning. This reinvention is aimed at aligning AIT with the current educational priorities and challenges in the region. The need for restructuring academic programs into seven thematic areas to address contemporary challenges and opportunities was stressed. These themes would integrate transdisciplinary education, and position AIT as a policy advisory think tank for global and regional agencies. He also discussed a strategy for enhancing research, focusing on applied and impactful research projects that align with donor and market needs. Also, the importance of a cost-plus financial model, the integration of high-level capacity building, and improving the institute’s global reach was emphasized. He then concluded by outlining the need for consensus-building and effective implementation of the Blueprint recommendations, highlighting the urgency of addressing AIT’s financial, academic, and governance challenges head-on to secure its future.
There were four focused breakout sessions held to dive deeper into specific aspects of the Blueprint’s implementation, allowing for in-depth discussions on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing AIT. The breakout session on Academic Programs was led by Prof. Manukid Parnichkun and focused on the alignment of academic programs with market needs and institutional goals. The Research and Outreach session was led by Prof. Shobhakar Dhakal and explored strategies to strengthen AIT’s research capabilities and enhance its outreach efforts. The session on Finance and Administration was led by Prof. Yousre Badir, and it concentrated on the financial and administrative restructuring required to ensure AIT’s sustainability. And finally, the session on Governance was led by Dr. Suwit Khunkitti, that addressed broader governance issues, including the roles of the Board and Management, review of practices, and instituting a more unified streamlined governance framework to facilitate smoother decision-making and execution of the Blueprint. The detailed reports were presented by the rapporteurs for discussion and further inputs from all participants. The wrap-up comments were made by the trustee and member of the task force on blueprint implementation, Dr. Bindu Lohani who noted that the issues are well known and that it is time to implement solutions with clear timelines. He stressed the importance of action and execution. He added that faculty views on governance should be considered alongside the Blueprint recommendations. He mentioned ongoing work on broader governance issues like the charter, land lease, and bye-laws, and highlighted the importance of academic governance. He expressed his appreciation for the work of the Task Force and urged it to work with management as one team to solve the issues.
Dr. Suwit in his concluding remarks expressed confidence that AIT is on the right path to achieving the ambitious goals outlined in the Blueprint. The event reinforced a shared commitment among participants to work together toward a unified, prosperous future for AIT. With continued support from the Thai government, regional partners, and the international community, AIT is poised to emerge stronger and more resilient, ready to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.
This retreat marks the beginning of a new era for AIT, one that promises growth, innovation, and a renewed focus on excellence in postgraduate education and research.
