As a small token of gratitude and appreciation to the Chairman of its Board of Trustees, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) is proud and honoured to have been able to offer its services in the development of this website dedicated to H.E. Mr. Anand Panyarachun. The purpose of the web site is to share with the public the life-long achievements and contributions of H.E. Mr. Anand Panyarachun in both the government and private sectors.

     H.E. Mr. Anand Panyarachun was elected to the Chairmanship of the AIT Board of Trustees in September 2001, succeeding the late M. L. Birabhongse Kasemsri, former Principal Private Secretary to His Majesty the King of Thailand. H.E. Mr. Anand is the sixth Chairman of the Board of AIT; preceding him were H.E. Dr. Pote Sarasin, Professor Puey Ungpakorn, Professor Oscar Mapua, H.E. Dr. Thanat Khoman, now Chairman emeritus, and M. L. Birabhongse Kasemsri.

     H.E. Mr. Anand has long been associated with AIT, going as far back as 1958 when the Institute was first conceived as the SEATO Graduate School of Engineering. Over all these years, he has kept abreast of the running of the Institute. His agreeing to get involved in the affairs of the Institute, despite his numerous commitments in Thailand and abroad, will strengthen the integrity, reputation and academic excellence of AIT, by working with everyone involved. AIT must aim for excellence, both in academic and administrative spheres, and will strive to become a leading and unique regional multicultural institution of higher learning, offering the best education, research and training in technology, societal development and management. It will achieve this vision by working together with its international partners and international faculty and staff, at its main campus, satellite campuses in the region, and partner institutions.

     Under the Chairmanship of H.E. Mr. Anand the Institute's Board of Trustees has been restructured and in its present composition reaffirms AIT's international character and is in line with the origins of AIT when in 1961 the Foreign Affairs Ministers of the eight founding member countries, which established the AIT, attended the first graduation ceremony. As an independent regional institution of higher learning, the Asian Institute of Technology puts great emphasis on technological change and its management for sustainable development of the region. AIT's mission is to develop highly qualified and committed professionals who will play a leading role in the sustainable development of the region and its integration into the global economy. AIT's renewed strategy is to position itself as an academic hub between the region and some of the most advanced institutions worldwide, with an emphasis on the actual needs of the region and on technology transfer. With a multinational faculty of 200 and a student body of 1,500, AIT is part of an international academic network through exchanges of faculty and students, offering dual degree programs with top institutions worldwide.

     The Institute has experienced impressive growth and achieved a proud record of service given to much of Asia over the past four decades, a period during which the shape of most Asian economies has changed almost beyond recognition. It is to AIT's credit that it has kept pace with this transformation and has remained a credible and viable institution, relevant to the needs of the region. Time and again, AIT has demonstrated its capacity to meet new challenges and to evolve in line with the rapidly changing technological landscape. The Institute's future role, direction and priorities must be defined in relation to the broader scenario of technology education in the region, in particular to the emergence of other high quality universities and institutions. This changing landscape provides us with welcome opportunities to work in strong partnership with some of them towards goals of importance to the region.

     The marked growth of AIT's teaching, research and outreach programs is complemented by a significant expansion of its geographical coverage. Since the first graduation of eight students in 1961, to date AIT has produced more than 10,000 alumni, the majority of whom occupy senior positions in government, industry and academe. AIT takes much satisfaction from the fact that more than ninety per cent of its graduates are living and working in Asia.

     In concluding, and on behalf of the Asian Institute of Technology, I would like to take this opportunity to renew our pledge to follow the path traced by our chairman, at the service of Thailand and the region.

Professor Jean-Louis Armand
President
Asian Institute of Technology