REPORT : A PROPOSAL FOR CONTINUING ASSISTANCE TO THE ASIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

AIT,LOCATED IN THAILAND BUT GOVERNED BY AN INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES,IS CONSIDERED THE BEST GRADUATE SCHOOL IN SE ASIA OFFERING A MASTER'S IN BOTH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING,AND A PHD IN ENGINEERING. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY NOT DEFINED. EVALUATOR FEELS AIT HAS DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP IN THE FIELD OF ENGINEERING AND IS UNIQUELY SUITED TO ASSIST STUDENTS WITH THE CHALLENGES ASIA MUST SOLVE AS ITS NATIONS MOVE FROM UNDERDEVELOPED TO DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. AIT'S CONTINUED LEADERSHIP HOWEVER IS CLOSELY TIED TO THE FURTHUR DEVELOPMENT OF: 1.THE NEW CAMPUS SITE, 2.THE FACULTY, 3. THE STUDENT BODY,AND 4.ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. EVALUATOR ALSO FEELS AN IMPROVED COMPUTER SYSTEM WILL GREATLY BENEFIT AIT'S PERFORMANCE SINCE COMPUTERS HAVE PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN ENGINEERING. ALTHOUGH MANY ASIAN COUNTRIES HAVE DEVELOPED INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION CENTERS,THESE MAY OFTEN DUPLICATE EFFORTS AND FALL FAR SHORT OF DESIRED GOALS. ADVANCES IN TELECOMMUNICATION,COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY,AND REPRODUCTION TECHNIQUES FAVOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SINGLE CENTER IN ASIA. SINCE AIT HAS ESTABLISHED A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER ASIAN INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND IS IMPROVING ITS COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEM AND LIBRARY,EVALUATOR FEELS AIT IS THE BEST LOCATION FOR THIS CENTRAL ASIAN CENTER. RECOMMENDATIONS TO ASSIST AIT BECOME SUCH AN AUTHORITATIVE INFORMATION CENTER ARE TO: 1.REPLACE AIT'S OUTDATED IBM 1130 WITH A CDC 3600 COMPUTER AND ADD ANOTHER COMPUTER SYSTEM IN 2 TO 3 YEARS WITH MORE ADVANCED,CAPABILITIES SUCH AS A 70/72 COMPUTER; 2. SUPPLY THE COMPUTER CENTER WITH FUNDS UNTIL IT CAN SUPPORTITSELF; 3.ADD AN AREA EXPERT-FACULTY; AND 4.RESERVE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS WITH EXTRAORDINARY CAPABILITY.