AIT Campus Bulletin

In this issue:

A. Announcements 

B. Events 

C. Classifieds (jobs)

A. Announcements 

1) End of Semester Message

Email from AIT President on 1 May 2021 

Dear AIT Family:

Yesterday, classes ended for Spring Semester 2020, and final examinations will begin next week.  I want to thank all the students and faculty and staff for persevering through this semester through anxiety and inconveniences brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.  We are pleased that this semester has come to a close without problems, but unfortunately we are in the midst of a fierce third wave in Thailand.

Therefore, it is highly questionable whether an in-person Graduation Ceremony can take place on 28 May.  However, this year, even if we cannot do an in-person ceremony, it will not be cancelled, and we will do some form of online Graduation Ceremony.  More information will be available to the graduates later.

As you were told before, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was kind enough to assure AIT that all our non-Thai students, faculty, and staff and dependents will be able to have access to vaccines later this year.  Thai citizens will be getting vaccines starting this summer.  In fact, a very small number of vaccines was available to AIT Thai staff last week, and 33 front line Thai academic and non-academic staff were able to take advantage of that.  More vaccines may come in June.  Finally, there is talk of private hospitals able to import vaccines at some point, and that could be another source too.  I urge you to keep an eye on vaccine news. 

We would expect a number of our international students to delay their departure for home after this semester is over because of travel restrictions, airplane scarcity, COVID-19, and other reasons.  AIT will help facilitate your stay on campus as much as possible, within the limitations of Thai visa rules.  Concerned students should work closely with their faculty advisor, the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of Thailand Affairs, and the Housing Office. 

As you know, students who tested positive in the OQ are taken immediately to Thammasat University Hospital until they are well.  We thank the OQ staff for making sure everything runs smoothly.  Aside from the OQ, on AIT campus, recently there have been a couple of scares, and then a few positive cases among our technical contractors.  We have dealt with all of them swiftly, meticulously, and comprehensively in accordance with DDC guidelines, to ensure the effects are contained.  But this shows that, after not having any local cases on campus for the 16 months since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, AIT is vulnerable.  So please protect yourself and the community by adhering to Thailand policies and AIT measures issued by the COVID-19 Task Force at all times.  I thank the AIT community for your high vigilance continuously. 

We are facing great stress and challenges.  I should mention at this point that the Office of Student Affairs has added a counseling capability with a wellness specialist able to meet with students, online for now, who may have anxieties and tension for a number of reasons, in this difficult time. 

Finally, congratulations to those who finish their degree program under the cloud of COVID-19 for the past three semesters.  Some years from now, you will look back to this period with pride, that you were persistent in pursuing your education, and you are forged in toughness for the world.  All of you please take care, and have a safe summer!

Dr. Eden Woon

President

Asian Institute of Technology

 

2) Additional Restrictions and Other Updates from the AIT COVID-19 Task Force 

Email from the Director, Office of Academic Administration on 30 April 2021

Dear Members of the AIT Family,

We do hope that all of you are keeping well and taking maximum safety precautions while we are in the midst of the current serious wave of COVID-19.  To date, there are 65,153 cases and 203 deaths.  COVID-19 has resulted in the death of more people in Thailand this month than in the whole of 2020, which is a grim reminder of how much more dangerous the current spread is.   

Additional Restrictions Imposed by the Thai Government and Implications for AIT Campus:

The Thai Government has reintroduced stricter measures to curb the COVID-19 spread and identified 6 provinces including Pathum Thani – where AIT is located, as a dark red zone designated as “Maximum and Strict Controlled Area” facing new restrictions starting from May 1, with end date undetermined, which include the following implications for AIT:

a.  Compulsory to wear masks at all times in public places – The fine for the first offence is 6,000 baht; second offence 12,000 baht; and repeat offenders will be fined 20,000 baht.  Wearing masks is also being enforced while in a vehicle, and if there are more than 2 people in a vehicle, even if from the same family, everyone must wear a face mask.  No mask is required for solo drivers.

b.      No activities allowed with more than 10 people, and all activities with more than 5 people must be approved by the Task Force

c.       No dining in – only takeaway until 9 pm

d.      Markets and convenience stores open 4 am-11 pm

e.      Malls open until 9 pm

f.       AIT residents are encouraged to cooperate by not leaving their homes at night (9 pm to 4 am).

g.      The SU Café, gym, all indoor sports venues (such as the squash courts and China Center), as well as the swimming pool and golf course, will be temporarily closed.

Other Policies – All the other earlier announced policies still stand, but please check with the Task Force if you have any queries and also visit the Intranet page where all COVID-19 related information and updates from the Task Force are available.

If you are interested in what is happening in Thailand, the full details on the CCSA announced restrictions is available at the below link:

https://twitter.com/prdthailand/status/1387709442620235777/photo/1

Cancellation and Suspension of COE Issuance for Non-Thai Nationals from 1 May 2021 from India – Due to the COVID-19 situation in Thailand, the CCSA has put restrictions for non-Thai nationals in India who wish to enter Thailand.  All Certificates of Entry (COEs) that have been issued to non-Thai nationals to enter into Thailand from India with the arrival date from 1 May 2021 will be cancelled.  The issuance of COEs for non-Thai nationals who will be arriving in Thailand from India from 1 May 2021 onwards will be suspended until further notice.

Quarantine Period at AIT – The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has announced that all arrivals from overseas will be required to complete their 14-day mandatory quarantine regardless of their vaccination status or nationality.  The 14-day mandatory quarantine will also apply to all those who hold a certificate of entry (COE) issued on or after May 1.  People arriving after May 5 will be quarantined for 14 days.  The AIT OQ Phase 1 will accordingly revert back to 14 days regardless of the vaccination status.  AIT has now changed the quarantine period for arrivals from India to 21 days at the AIT OQ.

Positive Cases of Contractor Staff – We would like to report that, as of now, three technical contractor staff who work at OFAM and reside off-campus tested positive, the earliest on 26 April and the most recent on 29 April.  These staff work in the building maintenance section.  Based on their work timeline, these staff mainly worked on their own and some had very limited interaction with the AIT community aside from their team.  The persons who were in contact with these staff have stopped working, are under self-isolation, and are being tested for COVID-19.  As a precautionary measure, OFAM has sanitized and deep cleaned the areas where these staff visited and has also warned other contractors in OFAM to be aware of the situation and to take extra precautions.  We will continue to update the community.  Our thoughts are with the staff and we wish them speedy recovery.

We urge you to continue to maintain a high level of safety and hygiene measures, avoiding large crowds, and please visit the AIT Medical Center if you feel unwell.  We thank you for your continued cooperation.

Please take care and stay safe.

AIT COVID-19 Task Force

 

3) Performance Evaluation Phase 2 is Now Open

Email from the Office of Human Resources Services on 5 April 2021

To all Immediate Supervisors, Unit Directors of Centrally-Funded Staff Members and Centrally-Funded Staff Members,

The second part of our Performance Management System 2021 is now open. The online system can be accessed through HRIS (https://hris.ait.ac.th) until 30 June 2021.

Phase 2 is a “Progress Review” which provides a formal opportunity for both the immediate supervisor and the employees to conduct a performance discussion mid-way through the performance period. Open communication on performance helps both the immediate supervisor and the employees to assess how the work is progressing.

At this stage, the employee can discuss with the immediate supervisor what has been accomplished, how achieving the goals has been progressing, difficulties faced, and can request to set new/amend goals if required. Likewise, the immediate supervisor comments on the progress on goals to date, area(s) that require further support and assistance, and sets/amends goals if required.

Please follow these steps below to successfully complete the Performance Evaluation process online for PHASE 2.

A. For Employees   

To help you prepare for your meeting with your immediate supervisor, please read “How to Prepare for Progress Review-Employee Checklist” on pages 12-13 of our Guide to AIT Performance Management for Staff.

1.Click "Employee Evaluation" then follow the following steps.

2.Click the “PE Cover Form”

3.Set the date of your meeting with your immediate supervisor and click "SUBMIT". Your immediate supervisor will receive an email notification that you have set a date for your meeting to review your progress or achievements.

4.Click the “Progress Review”. In this section, you can write your progress, accomplishments and/or difficulties faced if there are any, then click "SAVE". If you could not complete writing your progress report you can always return to this page to complete it. Make sure you complete this task before your meeting. 

5.Discuss your work progress on the scheduled date with your immediate supervisor. Once the meeting is completed and comments are agreed upon, you can then revise/modify your progress report on the system and click "SUBMIT".  Note that you cannot edit your progress report once they are submitted.

6.A notice on top of the page will inform you if you have successfully submitted your form. Watch out for this notice!

B. For Immediate Supervisors (Evaluators)

This is your opportunity to assess the progress made by your subordinate based on the performance goals that were agreed to earlier. This meeting is to review what has occurred in the interim, in relation to achieving those goals and objectives written a few months ago in Phase 1. It is where feedback is very important.

Another important aspect of Phase 2 is the Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). As soon as a performance shortcoming is identified, the immediate supervisor should discuss it with the employee and take steps to rectify the situation, such as the development of a performance improvement plan, in consultation with the employee. Please refer to page 11 of our guide for more details.

To help you prepare for your meeting with your subordinGates, please read “How to Prepare for Progress Review-Supervisor Checklist” on pages 13-14 of our Guide to AIT Performance Management for Staff. 

1.You will be notified once your subordinates have set the date of your meeting. Please make yourself available on that date and be prepared to discuss the progress report with your subordinates. 

2.Progress review should be discussed with your subordinates on the scheduled date. However, if for some reason the scheduled date is not followed, the date of the meeting should be changed to the actual date that the meeting takes place. To set a new meeting date, please follow the instructions described in points 9 and 10 below.

3.To view the progress report submitted by your subordinates, click "Supervisor Evaluation” and follow the following steps.

4.Click “Employee APR (PHASE 2)”

5.Click “APR” to view your subordinates' progress report.

6.Write your comments in the designated space and click “SUBMIT”. Remember you can only "submit" after you have written your comments.

7.A notice on top of the page will inform you if you have successfully submitted your form. Watch out for this notice!

8.When it becomes necessary to help a subordinate improve their performance, the immediate supervisor and with input from the affected employee, develops an improvement plan; the purpose of the activities outlined is to help the individual to attain the desired level of performance.

9.To access the PIP Form, click on the box and the “Performance Improvement Plan”. Complete the form and click “SUBMIT”.

10.To reset the meeting date or progress report or supervisor feedback, click "Click to Reset".

11.A new page will open and click the “Reset” which corresponds to the activity you would like to reset.

 Please complete Phase 2 by June 30, 2021.

Should you encounter technical problems, please report them to Helpdesk (helpdesk@ait.asia).  Please convey other feedback to OHRS (director-ohrs@ait.asia). 

 4) AITE Webinar on Global Supply Chain Outlook Post Covid-19

Date: Tuesday 11th May 2021

Time: 10:00 AM Thailand Time

Speaker: Dr. Nick Vyas, Executive Director of the USC Marshall Center for Global Supply Chain Management, USC Marshall School of Business

Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/5342p8x4

Webinar link: https://extension.ait.asia/node/1173

5) AIT Extension in collaboration with Asia Pacific Telecommunication will be organizing a webinar on "5G and IoT Applications and Policy Solutions” on May 17th, 2021 (Monday).

Time: 10:00 - 11:30 (GMT +7) Bangkok Time

For Registration https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeRsqBFXs9_USrtPIi9fV4hv3LHNl-_...

For more information and registration, please visit our website: https://extension.ait.asia/course/1172

 

6) AIT Career Tik Talk 6: "Addwealth, Mitrphol and Michelin Career Talk"

Dear students,

AIT Career Tik Talk 6: "Addwealth, Mitrphol and Michelin Career Talk"

Date: 21 April 2021 (Wednesday)

Time : 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm (Bangkok time)

Venue : Online/Zoom Meeting

https://ait-ac-th.zoom.us/j/92913004290?pwd=SEUrNGEzbnZQUHhNL2kzdVZkNW0v...

Meeting ID: 929 1300 4290

Passcode: acTiktalk6

Program Schedule:

3:45 pm to 3:55 pm - Arrival of participants online

3:55 pm to 4:00 pm - Welcome remarks

4:00 pm to 4:30 pm- Addwealth Career Talk

4:30 pm to 5:00 pm- Mitrphol Career Talk

5:00 pm to 5:05 pm- Closing remarks/Online photo session

5:05 pm to 5:35 pm- Michelin Career Talk (Note: in MS Teams platform; pls find attached poster to register)

ADDWEALTH- comprehensive financial planner for individuals and organizations:

Preferred Academic Program:

•Gender & Development Studies (GDS) & students from other programs interested

•MBA

Preferred Nationality: Thais and other nationalities are welcome

Job opportunities: FInancial Planner, Investment Planner, Insurance Planner, etc

MITRPHOL- the leading regional sugar and bio-based company:

Preferred Academic Programs:

•DS, Energy, EEM, ABM, ASE, FEBT, GTE, TRE, WEM, CS, IM, RSGIS, IME, MECHA, NANO, MBA & other programs interested

Preferred Nationality: Thais and other nationalities are welcome

MICHELIN- the leading tire company:

Job opportunities: pls check and register in attached poster or visit www.jobs.michelin.co.th

To pre-register, please click here

To know more about the Addwealth, please visit www.addwealth301.com

To know more about Mitrphol, please visit: mitrphol.com/home.php

To know more about Michelin, please visit https://www.michelin.co.th/

We will update you if another company will be added to the above schedule this week. Please also inform us if there are successful applicants from the last virtual Fair for database purposes.

Everyone is cordially invited !

Stay safe and healthy, and see you online!

Email: careercenter@ait.ac.th

http://www.careercenter.ait.ac.th, http://www.ait.ac.th

FB: www.facebook.com/officialaitcareercenter/

 

Training Courses/ Conferences/ Workshops

1) Online Professional Development Course on: Managing Organization change: Integrating Agile for Transformation (Batch 1 )

Online Professional Development Course on: Managing Organization change: Integrating Agile for Transformation (Batch 1 )

Date : 08 - 25 May 2021

https://extension.ait.ac.th/course/1158

Date: 10 - 28 May 2021
Time: 14:00 - 16:00 hrs. (Bangkok time)
Learn from practitioners on how to develop M & E pathways that foster measurement of results and respond to current changes of M&E contexts. Broadening perspectives for innovative ways to develop tools and reporting mechanisms that help to make decisions for project implementation. 

Aims of the program

Enhance practical knowledge and scope for M&E approach and practices during COVID-19.
Be acquainted with appropriate research design and data collection tools.

Apply M &E concept to create information sharing and reporting strategies.

For more information and registration pls. visit https://extension.ait.ac.th/course/1127

 

8) 2nd International  Symposium on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development (DRSD) 

We are happy to announce the "2nd International Symposium on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development” from 24 -25 June 2021 scheduled to be held at Asian Institute of Technology, THAILAND (In-person and Virtual) [www.disaster-sustainability.org]. The “2nd International Symposium on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development” organized by the Asian Institute of Technology brings together discussion on various dimensions of higher education systems in the Asia-Pacific region with a focus on Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Development. The International Symposium will focus on various dimensions of existing and future risk scenarios and concerted efforts of the scientific communities to find new adaptation methods. 

The international symposium will be organized from 24 -25 June 2021 in hybrid mode. The program will include keynote speeches, panel discussions, technical sessions, poster presentations, and academic exhibitions. The Symposium is one of the initiatives of ProSPER.Net project “Disaster Education for integrating SFDRR and SDG in Asia” lead by the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand along with the partner universities in the Asia Pacific Region. 

The symposium will also provide an opportunity to develop a Higher Educational Institution Platform on DRR to address the cross-cutting issues on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development and also understanding regional challenges that result from complex problems generated by natural hazards and human-induced threats.

On behalf of Organising Committee DRSD-2021, I would like to invite your valuable participation and interaction with Global Resilience and Sustainability Experts. 

CALL for ABSTRACT is open 

We will encourage you to circulate the announcement to your scientific and professional netw