WEEK #50: 12 – 18 December 2016
In this issue:
(i) New Academic Administrative Structure at AIT
Email from President: 8 Dec. 2016
Dear Members of Stakeholders
Time has changed from the days of the 70s and 80s when graduate programs tended to be highly specialized. Today, the trends call for more integration, multidisciplinary learning and cross-cutting research. Thus, the administrative wall between fields need be removed.
There have been concerns from members of the Institute-level Advisory Committee that AIT offers too many narrow fields (30), without a critical mass of faculty in each field. This situation does not help attract potential students in today’s competitive market.
Thus, under the directive of the Executive Committee and with consultations with School Deans and faculty, the following principles have arrived for the new academic structure:
It is more efficient to pool all administrative workloads from the field level to ‘departmental’ level, freeing faculty members with more time for teaching and research.
Except for academic matters, all resources should be generated, controlled and managed by the Department.
Within a department, an official list of fields can still be declared and remain visible, but can be adapted continuously with the change of market demands.
Although students belong to Department, they are recruited to Department based on their selected fields. Their AIT transcripts will include school, department and field (specialization).
Academic matters concerning each field, such as curriculum, academic procedures and support facilities, are supervised by a ‘Field Committee’ appointed by the Department Head, comprising all faculty members specialized in the same field. Chair of the Field Committee is elected by its members.
After a year of careful refinement, I am pleased to announce with immediate effect the finalization of the new departmental structure and the appointment of the Department Heads as follows:
A. SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY (SET)
- Dean: Prof Voratas Kachitvichyanukul
1. Department of Civil & Infrastructure Engineering
* Includes CEIM, GTE, OTM, STE, TRE, WEM, DPMM, and UWEM fields of study.
Department Head: Prof Pennung Warnitchai
2. Department of Information & Communication Technologies
* Includes the former CS, IM, ICT, TC, and RSGIS fields of study.
Department Head: Dr Matthew Dailey.
3. Department of Industrial Systems Engineering
* Includes the former ME, MES, IME, and Nanotechnology fields of study.
Department Head: Dr Pisut Koomsap.
B. SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT, RESOURCES & DEVELOPMENT (SERD)
- Dean: Prof Rajendra Shrestha
1. Department of Food, Agriculture & Bioresources
* Includes the former ABM, ASE, AARM, and FEBT fields of study and UG program.
Department Head: Dr Anil K Anal.
2. Department of Energy, Environment & Climate Change
* Includes the former Energy, EEM, CCSD, EB, and UWEM fields of study.
Department Head: Dr Shobhakar Dhakal.
3. Department of Development & Sustainability
* Includes the former GDS, NRM, RRDP, UEM, and DPMM fields of study.
Department Head: Prof Kyoko Kusakabe
C. SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
- Dean: Prof Lawrence S. Abeln
Structure pending the ongoing transformation process of SOM.
Your continuing support to our Institute, especially to our colleagues in their respective capacities, would be very much appreciated.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Professor Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai
President
(ii) New Appointment: Director of the Internet Education & Research Laboratory (intERLab)
Email from President: 9 Dec. 2016
I wish to inform the AIT community that Professor Kanchana Kanchanasut will complete her term as the Director of the Internet Education & Research Laboratory (intERLab) by 31 December 2016. On behalf of our Institute, I wish to express our sincere appreciation of the excellent services Professor Kanchana has rendered in her capacity as intERLab Director for almost 13 years. I have indeed great pleasure in having worked with her as President, Dean and as a faculty colleague. We will continue to benefit from her good services as a Research Professor and colleague from next year. We wish her continued success.
In this regard, I am also pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Mongkol Ekpanyapong as intERLab Director from 1 January 2017. This appointment as intERLab Director is concurrent to his current position as Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial Systems Engineering of the School of Engineering & Technology. Dr Mongkol is entitled to allocate 25% of his working time on intERLab activities. We wish Dr Mongkol every success on this challenging assignment and wish him well in carrying this additional task.
Professor Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai
President
Asian Institute of Technology
(iii) Handover Ceremony of Donation from 7 Malaysian alumni to AITIS Library
On Thursday, 15 December 2016, there will be a handover ceremony by Ir. Tiger Leong, President, Ellipse Enterprise Sdn Bhd, Malaysia in support of the Tiger Leong International Innovation & Leadership Camp and donation by 7 Malaysian alumni to buy books for the AIT International School library. The ceremony will be held at 2:30 p.m. in room 260, Administration Building.
(iv) Journals and AIT faculty
Towards promoting and enhancing AIT's research profile, Prof. Sivanappan Kumar, Vice President for Academic Affairs, plans to highlight AIT faculty and staff research activities in the research and outreach section of AIT website. In this context, it will highlight journals
(a) were published by AIT
(b) where AIT faculty are involved as editors/chief editors/special editors
Faculty members are requested provide a short description (maximum 300 words) about the Journal, photo of the cover page of the journal, Editor(s), and the web link of the journal by 16 December 2016.
(v) Mrs. Apinya Kamolsook - SOM Student receives BEST Paper Award
School of Management’s PhD student, Mrs Apinya Kamolsook has received BEST article award in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Track, from the “Australian & New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference (ANZMAC 2016):, December 5-7th, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Article title: Consumer Motivations to Switch to Disruptive Technology Products,
Authors: Apinya Kamolsook*, Yuosre F. Badir*, and Bjorn Frank
* School of Management, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
** Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan
(vi) Extra public holiday on January 3, 2017 for New Year weekend
Office of Human Resources Services announced that as approved by the President, January 3, 2017 is stipulated as an extra holiday in addition to January 2, 2017. Thus, AIT will have long holidays from December 25, 2016 until January 3, 2017.
This implementation is done to comply with the cabinet has approved January 3, 2017 to be an extra public holiday for New Year weekend.
(vii) December 31, 2016 closing announcement
To ensure that AIT completely record the 2016 transactions in this year and not delay to 2017, please strictly follow the guidelines: -
1) 2016 Payments cut off
• All “approved” 2016 Payment Requests/ Cash Payment Summary with attached supplier invoices/receipts (dated within 2016) arrive Finance Office by 23 December 2016.
• Please avoid any delay submission of the above documents since Finance has deadline to close the yearly account. Delay submission means your request for payment will not be able to charge to 2016 budget and neither to 2017
2) Payroll
• Overtime cut off is 16 December
• Actual overtime up to the cut-off date plus estimation of overtime for the remaining weeks up to 31 December 2016 must reach Finance Office by 16 of December 2016 for reserving in 2016 account.
• Fail to submit estimated overtime within the deadline means there will be no budget to pay the overtime.
3) Purchase Requisition (PR) and Purchase Orders (PO)
Before issuing Purchase Requisition and Purchase Order in December 2016, please check whether works/services can be delivered/completed within the year 2016 or not. If yes, Purchase Requisition must be approved before 13rd December 2016 and all Purchase Orders must be approved before 19th December 2016.
Any work/service which cannot be completed within 2016, Purchase Requisition and Purchase Order must be issued in 2017 and will be charged to 2017 budget. External Auditor will not accept to record goods /services delivered in 2017 in the year 2016
For materials/ services to be delivered in 2016, please request suppliers to submit their Suppliers’ invoices to Finance office by December 31 for recording in 2016 account.
Note: There is a repeated misunderstanding every year that by placing Purchasing Requisition (PR) or Purchase Order (PO) in 2016, it is sufficient to utilize the 2016 budget. This is not possible unless goods/services are delivered in 2016, not 2017.
4) Settlement of outstanding Promissory Note and RTA
Please settle your Promissory note and RTA within 23 December 2016.
5) Invoicing Income
• Schools/Units are requested to submit all billing requests pertaining to work/services performed for third parties in 2016 (e.g. fees recoverable from donors, income due from project sponsors) to Finance Office by 23 December 2016.
6) Internal Charges
• All Units which have authority to update Internal Charges through ERP must ensure that the charges of 2016 have been completely updated by 23 December 2016. Units which do not have the authority must submit the Internal Charge Form to Finance Office by 23 December 2016.
Other issue
7) Sponsored Projects under Fund 30
Schools/cost centers to ensure Form E has been completely issued for all closing projects within 2016. Please also provide the list of the completed projects (both Academic and non-Academic projects) to Finance office. Khun Vandee, Finance officer, will contact schools/units for the list.
For further enquiries please contact:
• Ms. Orawan Kosaipolkul, Senior Accounting Manager Ext # 6346
• Ms. Chirapar, Finance Manager Ext # 6342 (for Payment)
• Ms Pakkamol, Director, Procurement, Inventory and Assets Ext # 5029 (for Purchase Requisition and Purchase Order)
(viii) EURAXESS ASEAN Flashnotes - Latest Funding and Career Opportunities for AIT Researchers
The Office of External Relations (OEXR) has announced a number of attractive opportunities for researchers which are presented in the latest EURAXESS ASEAN flash notes.
Topics:
1) United Kingdom - Newton Fund Institutional Links Programme. Thailand and Vietnam Eligible
2) EMBO Short-Term Fellowships Open to Researchers in ASEAN. 3 month Research Visits to Labs in Europe and Elsewhere. Rolling Deadline.
3) Germany - Humboldt Incoming Fellowships for researchers at different stages in their careers. ASEAN Researchers Eligible. Rolling Deadline.
4) Advice on applying to funding schemes by Dr Claire McNulty, Director Science and Research, British Council
5) List of European Institutions Interested in Hosting Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Check out:
Sign up to EURAXESS Links ASEAN here:
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/links/singapore/index_en.html
For more details, please contact Director of Office of External Relations (OEXR) at email: shawnpk@ait.asia
(ix) Gentle reminder: work permit renewal
In December 2016, work permit of many non-Thai AIT faculty and staff will expire. Due to a long holiday in December, please renew your Work Permit at least 1 month before it expires. Kindly provide the following documents:
• Passport and Visa
• Work permit license
• Medical certificate (valid for 1 month) from AIT Medical Clinic.
• Certificate Employee from HRO
• Rate of Government Fees for Work Permit
o 950 Baht (For 3 months)
o 1,700 Baht (For 6 months)
o 3,200 Baht (For 1 year)
o 3,950 Baht (For 1 year and 3 months)
o 4,700 Baht (For 1 year and 6 months)
o 6,200 Baht (For 2 years)
Please apply to extend the work permit from 15 November – 15 December 2016. However, if you submit late you must apply for a new work permit.
For further questions, please contact K.Suvanee/K.Pipat, GRU Unit, at Tel. 5014 or 5021
(i) Construction of 7Eleven Convenience Store at the Corner of 4th Street and D Street SW
Please be informed that construction work will begin for 7Eleven Convenience Store located between the corner of 4th Street and D Street SW as follows:
1. Start of Construction Work: 1st Week of November 2016
2. Total Construction Days: 70
3. Schedule Days of Work: Monday to Sunday
4: Schedule Time of Work: 8:00am to 5:00pm
5. Tentative Store Opening Date: 10 January 2017
We thank you for your kind support and apologies for any inconvenience caused.
(i) EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS
(a) AIT’s 126th GRADUATION: 15 Dec. 2016
AIT will organize its 126th Graduation Ceremony on 15 December 2016 from 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at AIT Auditorium. Graduation Address will be delivered by Prof. Rajendra B. Lal,Vice Chancellor, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, Allahabad, India. AIT Prominent Alumnus, Mr. Leong King Ho, President, Ellipse Enterprise Sdn Bhd, Malaysia, will also give a graduation message at the ceremony.
Details of the program can be viewed at: http://www.ait.ac.th/news-and-events/2016/events/126th-graduation/#.WEYlFE3-KUk.com
The ceremony will be broadcasted live on Internet from the following URL:
http://www.graduation.ait.asia/live/
(ii) LECTURES / SEMINARS / CONFERENCE
(a) Workshop on Adapting groundwater of Asian cities to climate change: bridging the science and policy interface: 13 – 14 Dec. 2016
The first regional workshop on "Adapting groundwater of Asian cities to climate change: bridging the science and policy interface" will be organized on 13-14 December, 2016 at AIT.
The project is jointly implemented by AIT and Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan in collaboration with Department of Groundwater Resources (DGR), Thailand, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), Vietnam, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Pakistan and University of Brawijaya (UB), Indonesia. It is funded by funded by Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) (http://www.apn-gcr.org/resources/items/show/2042 ).
See more details:
http://www.ait.ac.th/news-and-events/2016/events/adapting-groundwater-of-asian-cities-to-climate-change-bridging-the-science-and-policy-interface/#.WEYlck3-KUk
(iii) COURSES
(a) Training Programme on Developing Project Proposals on
Climate Change Mitigation: 12 – 16 Dec. 2016
The Regional Resource Centre for Asia and Pacific (RRC.AP), AIT, in cooperation with the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) under the umbrella of Climate Change Asia (CCA) will be conducting a Training Programme on Developing Project Proposals on Climate Change Mitigation for participants from South and Southeast Asia. This is a pilot course developed by the Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RRC.AP) with generous funding from the Ministry of Environment, Japan.
There are THREE participant slots available for AIT delegates to attend this training course. Details of the course are:
Dates: 12-16 December, 2016
Time: Full day (08:30 - 17:00h)
Venue: Grand Sukhumvit Hotel, Bangkok
Cost: Lunch and coffee will be provided
Those who are interested to participate in this course, please send their CVs (maximum 2 pages) to Dr. Puja Sawhney (cca@ait.asia ) along with a short motivation statement (maximum 1 page) latest by 06 December, 2016, with the subject “Mitigation Training Application”.
See more details: http://www.ait.ac.th/news-and-events/2016/events/rrcap.pdf
(b) Year-End Microsoft Training: 14 Dec. 2016
Office of Human Resources Services in cooperation with Dr. A. Harianto of intERLab, AIT, will organize a Year-End Microsoft Training on 14 December 2016 on 2 different training sessions at Room B-206, AITCC.
Session 1 ( from 09.00- 12.00 hrs.)
Microsoft Office 365 Education Overview Training
This session is similar to the one that used to conduct. But this time will consists of new features.
Session 2 ( from 13.00 - 16.00 hrs.)
Microsoft Power BI Training
This session is for people who need to present various figures in meaningful way. Also, this session is to be useful for staff in some related central administration offices. Thus, priority will be given to staff in Finance, OHRS, Office of Students Affairs, and probably also schools.
There will be coffee break for 2 sessions
For each session the number of participants is limited to 40. Every participant is expected to bring own laptop equipped with fully power charging.
Please enroll this training before 9 December 2016 by sending e-mail to:
jiraphong@ait.asia / or jirada@ait.asia
• Delegation from Eastern University, Sri Lanka (EUSL), led by Prof. T. jayasingam, Vice Chancellor / 13 Dec. 2016 / to sign an MoU with AIT
• Ir. Tiger Leong, President, Ellipse Enterprise Sdn Bhd, Malaysia / 15 Dec. 2016 / to present the donation from 7 Malaysian alumni of AIT to AIT International School Library
Ms. Chalita Lertwinyu / Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand / 30 November 2016*
Ms. Kanchana Wilailak / Nakhon Ratchasima / 30 November 2016*
Prof. Voratas Kachitvichyanukul / Taiwan / 3 – 10 December 2016*
Mr. Osamu Mizuno / Kobe, Japan / 4 – 8 December 2016*
Ms. Narumon Wangnai / Vientiane, Lao PDR / 4 – 15 December 2016
Ms. Ananyarat Chalom / Surin and Sisaket, Thailand / 6 – 11 December 2016*
Dr. K. R. Salin / Nairobi, Kenya and Uganda / 6 – 22 December 2016
Dr. Peeyush Soni / Chonburi, Thailand / 8 December 2016*
Dr. Chotchai Charoenngam / Vietnam / 8 – 15 December 2016
Dr. Zakir Hossain / Hanoi, Vietnam / 10 – 13 December 2016
Dr. Loc Thai Nguyen / Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam / 10 – 13 Dec. 2016
Ms. Prakriti Kashyap / Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia / 10 – 17 December 2016
Mr. Guilberto Borongan / Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia / 10 – 17 December 2016
Mr. S.K Shahin Hossain / Singapore / 10 – 18 December 2016
Ms. Worawan Sumroetrum / Singapore / 10 – 19 December 2016
Mr. Bayasgalan Sanduijav / Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia / 10 – 26 December 2016
Dr. Lal Samarakoon / Kathmandu, Nepal / 11 – 14 December 2016
Prof. Kyoko Kusakabe / Kathmandu, Nepal / 11 – 15 December 2016
Dr. Kavinda Gunasekara / Kathmandu, Nepal / 11 – 17 December 2016
Mr. Syed Muntasir Husain Bokhari / Denpasar Bali, Indonesia / 17 – 25 December 2016
Mr. Guilberto Borongan / Manila, Philippines / 18 – 22 December 2016
*(Staff or faculty member travelled and returned to AIT prior to documentation received for publication)
Position: Research Associate (Office of the President)
Ref. No. 55/16
Deadline: 13 December 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/416
Position: Laboratory Technician (GTE) (School of Engineering & Technology)
Ref. No. 52/16
Deadline: 16 December 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/413
Position: Administrative Officer (Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
Ref. No.14/16
Deadline: 20 December 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/370
Position: Head, Strategy & Coordination Cluster (Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
Ref. No. 46/16
Deadline: 23 December 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/407
Position: Research Associate (WEM) (School of Engineering & Technology)
Ref. No. 56/16
Deadline: 30 December 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/417
Faculty Position (Assistant or Associate Professors) (School of Management)
Ref. No. Fac 5/16
Deadline: 31 December 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/402
Position: Director (Office of the Human Resources Services)
Ref. No. 7/16
Deadline: 31 December 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/363
Position: Senior Programme Specialist, Climate Change Cluster (Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
Ref. No. 39/16
Deadline: 6 January 2017
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/396
Faculty Position (Assistant/Associate Professor) (School of Environment, Resources & Development)
Ref. No. 2/16
Deadline: 15 January 2017
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/397
Faculty Position (Assistant/Associate Professor) (School of Environment, Resources & Development )
Ref. No. 3/16
Deadline: 15 January 2017
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/398
Position: Classroom Teacher (AIT International School)
Ref. No. 53/16
Deadline: 16 January 2017
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/414
Music Teacher (AIT International School)
Ref. No. 54/16
Deadline: 16 January 2017
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/415
Jobs vacancies for all nationalities at Thaksin University
Job vacancies are available for qualified candidates of all nationalities in Thaksin University as follows:
1. Dean of the Faculty of Education.
2. Dean of the Faculty of Law.
3. Dean of the faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
4. Director of the Institute for Southern Thai Studies.
Thaksin University is a public university in Southern Thailand. It is located in Amphoe Muang , Songkhla Province. About the past 15 years, It used to be a Songkhla Campus of Srinakarintharaviroj Prasarnmitre University.
Interested persons should contact:
Secretary of the Members of Recruiting Committee
Khun Jintana Narkjinda
Tel: 074-317635
mobile phone: 081599-0591
e-mail: tsu_spa@scholar.tsu.ac.th
Communication by e-mail transmittal is preferred.