for student scholarships
AIT News
4 September 2007
The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) has joined hands with Siam City Bank to issue a new credit card, namely the SCIB-AIT VISA Platinum Card, intended to benefit card-holders with financial services and raise funds for scholarships at the post-graduate institute, at the same time.
The SCIB-AIT VISA Platinum card was officially launched on 04 September 2007, at a joint ceremony at the AIT campus located 40-km north of Bangkok, by the President of the Asian Institute of Technology, Prof. Said Irandoust; the Executive Secretary of the AIT Alumni Association (AITAA), Dr. B.H.W. Hadikusumo, on behalf of General Dr. Boonsrang Niumpradit, President, AIT Alumni Association; and by the Senior Executive Vice President, Operations Group, Siam City Bank, Mr. Sutipong Ittipong, on behalf of Mr. Chaiwat Uthaiwan, President and CEO of Siam City Bank.
As a leading post-graduate institute in Thailand, AIT prides itself on its serious academic mandate and steadfast commitment to the development of human resources. Through this initiative with Siam City Bank, AIT aims to provide financial aid to students who qualify academically to study at AIT but lack the resources to pay for graduate studies.
Based on its agreement with the Institute, Siam City Bank will pay contribution fees into the “AIT’s Student Fund” against each card issued and used. The accumulated funds will be used to provide financial support to bright but needy students.
AIT faculty, staff, alumni, and students who become SCIB-AIT members will not only gain from a long list of exclusive privileges, such as the 20 million baht life insurance, but their use of the card at any one of VISA’s 25 million world-wide destinations will also contribute to the Institute’s goal of assisting bright but needy students.
Officials expect the card’s design featuring the AIT logo will appeal to card-holder’s sense of pride in being a member of the Institute’s extended community, and in helping the Institute and its students. At the launching ceremony, AIT President Prof. Said Irandoust stated that the partnership between AIT and SCIB for co-branding of the credit card was in line with the Institute’s strategy to develop strong linkages with the private sector. The partnership venture would also contribute towards the corporate social responsibility of the bank. He emphasized that the activity has been undertaken focusing on the “students” – some of whose postgraduate studies will be supported by the fund generated by the activity involving the bank, AIT faculty, staff and students themselves. He further stated that this was the first step in the AIT-SCIB partnership, and looked forward to more partnership activities between AIT and SCIB in the future.
Mr. Suthipong Ittipong, SCIB Senior Executive Vice President, speaking on behalf of Mr. Chaiwat Uthaiwan, President and Chief Executive Officer of SCIB, said SCIB was honored to establish the partnership with AIT for providing assistance to brilliant students in need of financial support for their postgraduate studies, while providing the special privileges of the platinum card to AIT students, alumni, faculty and staff. He praised AIT for its strength, academic excellence, expertise, as well as its local and international recognition. He stated that the alliance with AIT is an example of upcoming future SCIB partnerships with other leading international organizations, and it showed the bank’s success in providing international standard services. He agreed with the AIT President in furthering the partnership, and revealed that the bank was considering requesting AIT to organize short-courses for SCIB executives.
Dr. B.H.W. Hadikusumo, Executive Secretary of AIT Alumni Association (AITAA), speaking on behalf of General Dr. Boonsrang Niumpradit, President of AITAA, stated that the SCIB-AIT Visa Platinum Card is a venture well supported by the AIT alumni. He wished for the success of the partnership in fulfilling its purpose.
