The Asian University of Science and Technology conferred
its first four-year degrees in a joyful ceremony held on its Jomtien campus
on September 23, 2002.
Bachelors degrees were awarded to eleven students, five
in Business Administration and six in Engineering, while 28 students
received Masters degrees in Business Administration.
(From
left): BBA graduates Gridiwong Siddhichai, Pakpoom Banchobchokchai, Liberal
Arts faculty member, Dr. Michael Catalanello, and MBA graduate, Maneepun
Mataprayoon.
The ceremony was presided over by by Lord Ronald Oxburgh,
University Council member and former rector of Imperial College of Science,
Technology and Medicine. Asian UST maintains an academic cooperation
agreement with Imperial College in London.
University president, Dr. Viphandh Roengpithya was also
on hand to welcome the nearly 300 celebrants consisting of students,
faculty, staff, family and friends who gathered in the University lecture
theatre. In his opening address Dr. Viphandh recounted the story of his idea
to build a quality English language university among the rolling foothills
of Chonburi Province. Following the conferring of a total of thirty-nine
degrees, Lord Oxburgh delivered the keynote address to those assembled.
The MBA
graduates, the faculty and dignitaries who attended the graduation ceremony.
Asian UST, now beginning its fifth year of operation,
offers four-year Bachelors degree programs in Engineering, Business
Administration and Liberal Arts and a Masters degree program in Business
Administration. The university also offers a variety of other programs
designed to build and strengthen basic skills in spoken and written English,
mathematics, physics and information technology.
As a privately held University, Asian UST must rely upon
private funding, without the aid of government resources. Because of this,
according to Dr. Viphandh, it has been necessary to continuously establish
progressive and innovative new programs in order to compete with government
subsidized institutions in attracting high quality students and faculty.
The latest innovation by the university is to offer a "twinning
program" by which students enrolled at the university have the option
after completing two years of study, to complete their degrees abroad at
Imperial College. Other British Universities are expected participate in
this new venture.
