Dr. Ezatullah Ahmed, Chancellor of Kabul Polytechnic University (KPU), Afghanistan, visited Asian Institute of Technology on 25th May 2011 to explore collaboration and learn about the academic and research programs offered at the institution. During the visit, Dr. Amed explained that the World Bank in Afghanistan has extended its Strengthening Higher Education Program (SHEP2) through the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). The program will focus on training for faculty in higher education as well as on other academic and technical trainings. 

AIT President Said Irandoust informed Dr. Ahmed that AIT would like to assist and support KPU in various ways including guidance with proposal writing, assistance with faculty selection process for a certain programs in different fields and enhancement of the university’s curriculum. 

To begin his three day visit, Dr. Ahmed first had a meeting with Dr. Naveed Anwar, Executive Director, AIT Consulting and Dr. Oleg Shipin, EEM Field Coordinator at the AIT Consulting Office. The meeting was joined by Ms. Kate Hovey, Marketing and Operations Manager, Mr. Christoffer Larsson, Project Development Engineer, and Ms. Dorothy Kalingasan, Program Officer, AIT-BU Partnership Project, of AIT Consulting and Ms. Sumana Shrestha, Program Officer, ERCO. Mr. Abdul Hakim, EEM Master Student translated during all of the meetings. 

Dr. Ahmed also met with Dr. Nitin V. Afzulpurkar, Dean of School of Engineering and Technology (SET), and faculty members including Dr. Nitin Kumar Tripathi, RS-GIS Coordinator and Associate Dean for Promotion, Dr. Ir. Erik Lucas Julien Bohez, Dr. Matthew, CSIM Coordinator and Dr. Poompat Saengudomlert, Telecommunications, to explore the academic programs offered by the SET. He also met Dr. Weerakorn Ongsakul, Dean of School of Environment Resources and Development (SERD), and faculty members including Dr. Oleg Shipin, EEM Coordinator and Dr. Mousa Nazhad, PPT Coordinator. Dr. Ahmed also visited several laboratories including Structural Engineering, Water Engineering Management and Nanotechnology of SET as well as Environmental Engineering and Management, Energy and Pulp Paper Technology of SERD. He also met Prof. Nazrul Islam, Visiting Professor of School of Management (SOM). 

Dr. Ahmed further met with Dr. Jonathan Shaw, Director, AIT Extension and had a brief during which he requested that AIT Extension assist KPU with conducting trainings in the future. He explained that KPU would like to adopt the latest technology and other systems through trainings for his faculty. During his visit, Dr. Ahmed also attended the Graduation Ceremony of the School of Engineering and Technology (SET). Two students from KPU are currently studying at AIT and there is hope to see a strong collaboration between AIT and KPU in the near future.