The first advisory board meeting of ASEAN Regional Center of Excellence for Millennium Development Goals (ARCMDG) expressed its satisfaction on the progress achieved by ARCMDG since its establishment.
The Board also decided to further collaboration with the Asian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility at AIT (ACCSR), Yunus Center at AIT and AIT’s Center for Sustainable Development in the Context of Climate Change (SDCC) to catalyze and help achievements of MDGs in the ASEAN Region. It was also decided that the AIT Extension and Geoinformatics Center will be main partners for implementing different training programs.
The advisory board meeting was attended by Mr. Apichai Sunchindah, Dato’ Dr. Ahamed bin Sipon, Dr. Donald Tambunan, Dr. Francois Loriot, Dr. Gothom Arya, Dr. Hanifa Mezoui, and Ms. Nanako Tsukahara (Represented for Mr. Minar Pimple) attended the meeting. AIT President Prof. Said Irandoust, Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, Vice President (Resource Development), Prof. Jayant K Routray (Director of the ARCMDG) also attended this meeting along with special invitees from AIT - Dr. Jonathan Shaw (Director, AIT Extension), Mr. Borje Wallberg (Director, Yunus Center), Prof. Ajit P. Annachhatre (Director, AIT-UNO Office), Ms. Leena Wokeck (Director, ACCSR).
The AIT President provided an overview of the current situation of AIT highlighting the AIT strategy 2013, developments regarding the new charter of AIT, and stressed the need for a new financial model including PPP for sustainable growth and development of AIT. He also mentioned the role and potential contribution of ARCMDG in close collaboration with centers such as ACCSR, Yunus Center, SDCC, Center for Learning Innovation & Quality (CLIQ) and others at AIT through education and training for advancing the cause of MDGs in the ASEAN region and beyond. Prof. Irandoust nominated Mr. Apichai for the position of ARCMDG Board Chair.
Prof. Routray, Director of the ARCMDG highlighted the activities undertaken so far. He added that the Center will organize a Seminar cum study tour program along with AIT Extension on “Project Monitoring and Evaluation with Focus on Poverty Reduction and MDGs”, during 25– 30 Jan 2010. This will be supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) of Bangladesh.
