TO BECOME A GLOBAL CITIZEN

Worsak Kanok‐Nukulchai, Ph.D.President,  Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand

ForSummer Camp Students of United Group, Allahabad and Delhi

27 June 2016

• Every day seems to bring the dawn of a new era 

• To anticipate future, we must identify signals of change

• To shape our future, we must interpret these signals and act in time

Today’s world is continuously changing ...

To embrace the changes, one must understand society with a global perspective; understand technology trends; appreciate diversity and multidisciplinarity; know how to compete and collaborate; and maintain life‐long learning.

Global Citizens__________________________

Take Local Actions with International Perspectives;Appreciate Diversity in Cultures and Religions; Act Environmentally Responsible ways; Appreciate Research for Mankind; Team Work under Interconnected Societies and Interdisciplinary Integration. 

1. The Rapidity of Changes

“Continuous change of knowledge

and tools requires continuous

learning”

“Global competitiveness requires

continuous refreshing of

knowledge and tools”

2. Change is Global

“Knowledge is changing so fast that it is no longer possible to acquire them once and for all during the initial education and then spend the rest of one’s life applying them ”

3. Change in Work

“Disruptive Technology creates a new market and kills the current one. Recognizing the trends of disruptive technology may give you an early warning”

4. Change is Disruptive

INNOVATIONINTERNATIONALPERSPECTIVE

INTEGRATION INDUSTRIAL PARTNERSHIP

INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY

Clean Disruption of Energy and Transportation

From Tony Seba’s Book

Disruptive Technology creates a new market and kills the current one. 

SliderulesHorse Carts Typewriters Photo Films• Fixed Line Telephone• Fax• Domestic Flight• Automobile• Fossil Energy

CalculatorsMotor Cars  PCDigital Photos• Smart Phone• Smart Phone• Highspeed Trains• Electric Car• Solar Energy

Students depend on paper too much. They no longer know how to write on a slate without getting dust all over themselves. What will happen when they run out of paper?

Principal’s Association Meeting, 1815

Students depend too much upon ink. They no longer know how to use a knife to sharpen a pencil.

National Association of Teachers, 1907

Students depend too much on store bought ink. They don’t know how to make their own. What will happen when they run out?

Rural American Teacher, 1928

GASOLINE CAR

“Our today’s practice to education is inadequate. Going through a traditional university in a single discipline with local peers during a fix 4-year period is not going to transform a person to become a “global citizen.”

Since 1959, AIT has been serving as a Neutral Platform for Sustainable Development through Global Collaboration in Education, Science & Technology, and Social Entrepreneurship.

AIT is not a traditional university, but a global institute with missions !

AIT – A Neutral Platform for Grooming Global Citizens

To ensure inclusive, safe and equitable quality education,  which focuses on borderless solutions for sustainable development, for qualified individuals irrespective of races, religions and cultures.

1. International perspective2. Regional orientation3. Multidisciplinary approach 4. Cross national solutions5. Relevant research6. Knowledge dispersal in a market 

economy 7. Politically neutral.

Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) : A Regional Platform For Education of Global Citizenship

(1) Teaching & Learning

(2)  Research 

(3) Knowledge Transfer

(4) International Dimension

(5) Regional Engagement

Current Students(1,713 Students from 41 Countries/Territories) In January 2016 Semester

Thailand29%

Vietnam18%

India13%

Myanmar8%

Nepal6%

Pakistan5%

Bangladesh4%

Sri Lanka4%

Afghanistan2%

France1%Indonesia

1%

Cambodia1%

PR China1%

Philippines1%

Japan1% Country Count

Thailand 505Vietnam 313India 226Myanmar 144Nepal 99Pakistan 83Bangladesh 67Sri Lanka 65Afghanistan 40France 25Indonesia 22Cambodia 20PR China 16Philippines 12Japan 10Lao PDR 8Nigeria 8Iran 5Malaysia 5Korea 4

USA 4Kenya 3Taiwan 3Tanzania 3Australia 2Ethiopia 2Germany 2Hungary 2Mongolia 2Zimbabwe 2Benin 1Bhutan 1Colombia 1Costa Rica 1Finland 1Ghana 1Hong Kong 1Norway 1Singapore 1Timor‐Leste 1Uzbekistan 1

21,589 ALUMNI from 100 Countries/Territories as of December 2015

Thailand27.45%

Vietnam16.94%

Nepal5.58%

India5.45%

Bangladesh5.14%Sri Lanka

4.85%

Philippines4.49%

Taiwan4.17%

Pakistan4.09%

China4.05%

Indonesia3.79%

Myanmar3.32%

Cambodia1.96%

Laos1.59%

Malaysia1.52%

Europe1.57% Middle and Central

Asia1.06%

Africa 0.48% North America

0.24% Others2.26%

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

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6000

7000

8000

9000

1961‐70 1971‐80 1981‐90 1991‐2000 2001‐13

WomenMen

Distribution of Graduates by Gender

!lim 0

! !n

nr n r

TEACHING UNIVERSITY1959-1970

RESEARCH UNIVERSITY1970-2010

THE EVOLUTION OF AIT

Academia Real World

RESEARCH UNIVERSITY WITH INDUSTRIAL PARTNERSHIP

Help !AIT TODAY

Landscape of Research onScience and Technology

• Research for Mankind 

• Research for Economic Gain

Public and International Funding

Private and Industrial Funding

How Universities Interact Among Them in S&T Research?

COMPETITION

COLLABORATION

Contest in World Rankings Calls for More Emphasis on Research Impacts.

Competition

Competition• Recent Higher Education Reform with 

Government’s Budget Reduction Creates a Contestable Market

Collaborations• More Participation More Impact 

Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary

Collaborations Sharing Solutions 

Collaborations Sharing Expertise (Bilateral Assistance) 

Collaborations Sharing of Resources 

Domestic or Cross‐Countries

$

Collaborations Sharing Ownership

Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary

More Participation ‐ More Impact 

What Remains a Challenge? Collaborations with 

Industries for Innovative Technology – R&D for Economic Gains.

Collaborations with Academic Partners and NGO on Solution to Cross‐BoaderIssues – R&D for Humankind.

All cross‐border problems in the real‐world have no physical and disciplinary walls

Nature of Cross‐Border Issues.

CROSS‐BORDER, TRANS‐BOUNDARY ISSUESREGIONAL LOCALIZATION ISSUESREGIONAL SOCIALIZATION ISSUES

Post‐Disaster Needs for Shelter and Sanitation are common globally, but with local touch.

AIT Habitech Technology AIT’s Solar‐Powered Toilet

Solutions for Mankind

Cross‐Border Issues.Issues like climate change, disasters, floods, pollution, share of international rivers, have no boundaries

CLIMATE CHANGEResearch for Humankind

SUSTAINABLE SANITATION FOR THE POOR 

Research for Humankind

Agricultural Learning Exchange for Asian Regional Networking (AgLEARN)Total Research Grant: 899,000 USD

Project Period: 2013‐2016

Location of the Action: Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia with support from collaborators in Thailand, India and USA, 

AIT is a Neutral Platform for Regional Engagement & Cooperation 

The Regional Integrated Multi‐Hazard Early Warning System for Asia and Africa (RIMES) is hosted at AIT

GMSARN Greater Mekong Sub‐region Academic and Research Network

AIT is the Secretariat Hub of GMSARN – A network of 12 of the top-ranking academic and research institutions in the GMS

Yunnan University (YU), Yunnan

Hanoi University of Technology (HUT) Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMCUT) Vietnam

National University of Laos (NUOL) Laos

Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Thailand

Thammasat University(TU) Thailand

Khon Kaen University (KKU) Thailand

Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP)Cambodia

Institute of Technology (ITC) Cambodia

Guangxi University (YU), Guangxi, China

Yangon Technological University (YTU) Myanmar

• Human Resources Development

• Joint research• Dissemination of 

information and intellectual assets generated in the GMS