On 3 December 2012, Ambassador Katja Christina Nordgaard met with 42 students at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). The students are part of 84 recipients of the Norwegian scholarships at AIT.
(Photo: Asian Institute of Technology)
“AIT has produced thousands of Master and PhD graduates, many of whom have assumed influential positions in the public and private sectors, in international organizations and at higher learning institutions in their homelands. Norway continues to believe that AIT has an important role to play in offering knowledge and skills to students from all over Asia,” said in her address, H.E. Mrs. Nordgaard.
The Ambassador added in her message to the students: “You are the young generation, you are the future of your country – and there is great need for your expertise and the experience you will gain from studying here at AIT in order to rebuild your country.”
Welcoming the Ambassador, AIT President Prof. Said Irandourst expressed his gratitude to Norway for supporting AIT for 35 years. Norway is providing 120 scholarships spread over three years to students from Myanmar. Norway also provides scholarships to students from the Least Developed Countries in Asia.
A representative of the students, Ms. Seinn Seinn Mu, a doctoral student from the Regional Rural Development Program conveyed her gratitude on behalf of 53 students from Myanmar, along with fellow students from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, Lao PDR and Vietnam who are also recipients of the Norwegian scholarships.
She stressed that all students will return to their respective home countries and work in local organizations in a way that would eventually contribute to Norway’s mission of development in the region. “May you continue on improving the quality of lives of hundreds of millions of peoples from Asia and the Pacific Region,” she added.
