ERCO this week: Maldives minister visits campus
On 10 May 2006, H. E. Ahmed Abdullah, Minister, Ministry of Environment, Energy & Water, Maldives visited AIT accompanied by Mr. Moosa, director general, Ministry of Water, Energy & Environment. The minister was on an official visit held with Mr. Surendra Shrestha, regional director of the Asia and the Pacific region for the United Nations Environmental Program, and expressed his interest to visit AIT.
H. E. Ahmed Abdullah was welcomed by the vice president for academic affairs, the dean of the School of Environment, Resources and Development, the associate dean of the School of Engineering and Technology, representative of AIT Extension and faculty members.
The minister informed the meeting that he is aware of the performance of AIT in its years of producing professionals for the region. He mentioned that the number of Maldivian alumni is nominal and that he would help contribute to increasing the number in the near future. He mentioned that although the tourism industry is the main priority of the Maldives, the government has stressed great importance to capacity building through human resource development in which AIT could be a key player.
A new university is being established in the capital of Male’ in 2007, and the minister mentioned that at the early phase of its establishment AIT could assist in the curriculum development. Prof. Haddawy mentioned that AIT could also help in the capacity building of the faculty members is specific focus areas of interest.
The minister concluded the meeting indicating that his visit would bring prospective Maldivian students to AIT and a cooperation between the Ministry of Education and AIT in the near future.
The delegation visited the Energy Park and Environmental Engineering and Management laboratories of SERD. A visit was also made to the Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Structural Engineering and Water Engineering & Management laboratories of SET.
Currently, there is one student enrolled at AIT and the number of alumni from Maldives is five.
