Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology

__NOTOC__Infobox University
name = Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology
native_name = สถาบันเทคโนโลยีนานาชาติสิรินธร
motto =
mascot =
established = 1992
type = Private (autonomous unit within a public university)
head_label = Director
head = [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/professor_en.php?id=2 Prof. Dr. Sawasd Tantaratana]
city = Pathum Thani
country = Thailand
faculty = ~75 teaching staffs, of which 52 are faculties. [SIIT website, [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/faculty_member_en.php Faculty members] and [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/phones_en.php Contact numbers] ] With ~80 adjunct faculties. [ [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/pdf/graduate2007.pdf SIIT 2007 Graduate Catalog and 2006 Annual R&D Report] ]
undergrad = 2,843 [ [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/pdf/annual2006.pdf SIIT Annaul Report, Academic Year 2006] p. 2 (averaged over two semesters)]
postgrad = 70 [ [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/pdf/annual2006.pdf SIIT Annaul Report, Academic Year 2006] p. 2 (averaged over two semesters)]
postgrad_label = graduate
campus = Suburb, Thammasat-Rangsit and Bangkadi
affiliations = LAOTSE, DAAD's IQN
website = [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/ www.siit.tu.ac.th]

Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (Thai: สถาบันเทคโนโลยีนานาชาติสิรินธร) (SIIT) is a semi-autonomous institute of technology established in 1992 within Thammasat University. It is located in Pathum Thani, Thailand. Known as one of the premier research universities in Thailand, it offers a range of science, technology and engineering education, as well as related management programs. All are international programs, with English language as a medium of instruction. The institute is part of the LAOTSE network, an international cooperation of leading universities in Europe and Asia.

Although it is an academic unit of Thammasat University and its graduates receive Thammasat University degrees, the institute is self-administered and financed (this is more or less like a 'Deemed University' in India.)

Since it is a research-led academic institution in nature, its most recent performance evaluation (Academic Year 2003) showed has the highest number of research publications (both in raw quantity and per graduate student heads) of any academic division in the university [12-months duty report (Academic Year 2003) by Quality Assurance Division, Academic Affairs Department, Thammasat University.] . In addition, a recent assessment of research publications by Thailand Research Fund put SIIT at the top of all engineering faculties in the kingdom in terms of equivalent international journal papers per faculty member and in terms of impact factor per faculty member. [ Manager, 2 October 2007 and Matichon, 30 October, 2007, p.27.] .

History

During the 9th Japan-Thailand Joint Trade and Economic Committee Meeting held in Kobe, Japan in 1989, all of the delegates from the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) and the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) realized that in order to enhance industrial development of Thailand, engineers with working knowledge of English are needed. Therefore, it was recommended that engineering programs, where all lecture and laboratory courses would be taught in English by highly qualified faculty members with doctoral degrees, be established.

A cooperation agreement among Keidanren, FTI, and Thammasat University was reached in 1992 to establish bachelor degree programs in engineering at Thammasat University with initial funds provided by Keidanren and FTI. After two years of operation, the "International Institute of Technology (IIT)" was founded on September 16, 1994. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously presided over the Cornerstone Laying Ceremony of a new building at the Rangsit Center of Thammasat University using part of the initial fund. Then, on June 28, 1996, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand graciously granted the Institute a new name, "Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT)." On October 2, 1997, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously presided over the Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology's Inauguration Ceremony of its name and building. In June 2001, the former Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun inaugurated a new campus at Bangkadi Industrial Park.

Administration Independency

Although it is a unit of Thammasat University, SIIT is financially and administratively separate from the central university system. SIIT's policies and operations are guided and supervised by the Board of Trustees which consists of representatives from Thammasat University, FTI, Nippon Keidanren, and scholars appointed by the university. In addition, the Academic Review Committee (ARC) comprising reputable scholars in various fields provides guidance and recommendations on academic and research matters. The Institute, headed by the Director, consists of four administrative divisions, a library and information services center, and six academic schools, with fifteen academic programs.

For its financial, as the institute is an autonomous (semi-private) body of Thammasat University, it gets no funding from the state, thus needs to find and manage its own income and spending. To starts its operation, the institute received initial funds from Keidanren and FTI. Parts of funding are research grants and scholarships from international organizations like Asian Development Bank, locals like industries and the Thailand Research Fund, and individual contributions. The rest of funding is from tuition fees, which is arguably high comparing to state-funded academic institutes.

Academics

One of SIIT's academic strength, that the institute often points out in a student recruitment ads, is its high qualification of faculty members. All faculty members are doctoral degree holders, with strong research and/or industrial experiences. From the eyes of general Thai students, they give the value to the institute's up-to-date courses, English as a language of instruction (which means language competency, and generally higher salary in the country), and being part of the prestigious Thammasat University. The institute is also considered among academic peers as a research intensive engineering school. Research output-wise, on average, each year each SIIT faculty member produces twice the highest value of national range for international journal publications (0.74 vs 0-0.41) [ [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/admin/fileupload/publicatefile/41/en/annual04.pdf SIIT Annual Report, Academic Year 2004] p. 8] .In 2007, the Thailand Research Fund assessed research outcomes of universities in Thailand, and SIIT ranked as "Very Good" for all three indicators, make it the only engineering school in the country that can achieved this [Manager Online, [http://www.manager.co.th/QOL/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9500000116003 เปิดผลจัดอันดับสุดยอดมหา’ลัยด้านวิทย์จุฬาฯ-มหิดลแชมป์ มธ.เจ๋งด้านวิศวกรรม] , October 2, 2007. Accessed November 7, 2007. (in Thai)] [SIIT, [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/news_outcome_en.htm SIIT is rated "Very Good" for research outcomes by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF)] . Accessed November 7, 2007.] .

Since a few prospect students can afford the higher-than-national-average tuition fees, the institute initially faces a slight difficulty to recruit undergraduate students with a very high "National University Entrance Examination" score. While scholarships and special recruitment programs do help attract a lot of bright students, its average entrance score is still not very high comparing to other leading science and engineering programs in the country – which, in turns, quite affects the image of the institute in the eyes of Thais. Due to latest Entrance Examination score, the school is comparatively easy for most student to get admitted. The average entrance score of admitted student is still low and makes the program not competitive.

However, the undergraduate recruitment situation is improving by years, especially for its computer, IT and management-related majors, which now have very high average entrance scores. With its strong science and technology education, the institute has been selected, along with Mahidol University and Chulalongkorn University, by Thailand National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), as a destination of selected group of top students from Mahidol Wittayanusorn School and 12 Princess Chulaporn Schools for Science, the country's science schools for gifted students, in a program to mentor junior researchers for national science and technology development.

For its graduate levels, the institute attracts a lot of bright graduates, as the institute gains supports from many national and international bodies (and use that as scholarships for graduate students). SIIT is one of a very small number of universities which can secure numbers of Thailand Research Fund's "Royal Golden Jubilee grants", considered to be the country's most prestigious research grants for PhD students, for every single year since the program began in 1998 [ [http://rgj.trf.or.th/eng/rgje31.htm Awarding of Royal Golden Jubilee] ] — one of the only three which can secure "Engineering discipline" grants for every single year.

chools

A number of undergraduate and research-based graduate programs are offered via six schools and one department. [ [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/pdf/undergrad2007.pdf SIIT 2007 Undergraduate catalog] ] ; School of Bio-Chemical Engineering and Technology : hosts chemical engineering and environmental technology programs; School of Civil Engineering and Technology : hosts civil engineering and structural engineering programs; School of Communications, Instrumentations and Control : hosts communications program; School of Information and Computer Technology : hosts information technology and computer science programs; School of Management Technology : hosts management technology and engineering management programs; School of Manufacturing Systems and Mechanical Engineering : hosts mechanical engineering and industrial engineering programs; Department of Common and Graduate Studies

Graduate Degrees Offered

[http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/graduate_meet_en.htm Master of Engineering in Engineering Technology (International Program)]
[http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/graduate_ictes_en.htm Master of Engineering in Information and Communication Technology for Embedded Systems (ICTES) (International Program)]
[http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/graduate_mlscse_en.htm Master of Engineering in Logistics and Supply Chain Systems Engineering (LSCSE) (International Program)]
[http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/graduate_mset_en.htm Master of Science in Engineering or Technology]
[http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/graduate_doctoral_en.htm Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering or Technology.]

Cooperations

The Institute enjoys a strong link with many universities, remarkably with its neighbor Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), and a group of Japanese universities and research centers, as well as a network of European universities such as DAAD International Quality Network (IQN) program and LAOTSE network. Locally, a remarkable collaborative network is the Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, a group of leading Thai universities in environmental and energy technology area.

The Institute has established both faculty member and student exchange programs, as well as internship programs, with a number of universities and organizations in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. These programs allow faculty members to collaborate with their counterparts in research projects as well as students to have an opportunity to take engineering courses at these universities. Additionally, qualified foreign professors are invited to visit and conduct courses at SIIT regularly.

From their proximity location, SIIT, Thammasat University, AIT, Thailand Science Park, and research centers of NSTDA, share some of their facilities, including libraries and laboratories, with each other. In 1998, the Thailand Graduate Institute of Science and Technology (TGIST) has been established by NSTDA to further strengthen its collaborations with academics and industries, SIIT is among three major academic institutes in TGIST's "Thailand Science Park Collaboration".

In 2007, SIIT joined together with NSTDA, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, and Tokyo Institute of Technology as founding members in the establishment of Thailand Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. This joint graduate school will offer international postgraduate degrees, where faculty staffs will come from Tokyo Tech, NSTDA, and Thai universities. [ [http://www.ipo.titech.ac.jp/e/taist/taist.pdf TAIST Tokyo Tech] ] [Lerkiat Vongsarnpigoon, [http://www.most.go.th/thaist/LerKreat.ppt โครงการ TAIST Tokyo Tech: รูปแบบหนึ่งของ THAI ST] , 1 November 20076] [National Metal and Materials Technology Center, [http://www.mtec.or.th/Th/newsdetail.asp?newsid=216 สวทช.จับมือพันธมิตรมหาวิทยาลัยในประเทศร่วมมือโตเกียวเทคเปิดหลักสูตรป.โทยานยนต์] , 3 September 2007]

Campuses

Operations of SIIT are carried out at two locations, Thammasat University's Rangsit Center and Bangkadi, both of which are in Pathum Thani, surrounded with many national research centers, high-tech industrial parks, universities, as well as Thailand Science Park and National Science Museum. The area is now known as the "Technology Cluster of North Bangkok".

Rangsit Campus

The Rangsit Campus is situated in the TU's Rangsit Center, approximately 42 kilometers north of Bangkok, just next to the Asian Institute of Technology and Thailand Science Park. The center served as the main host for the 13th Asian Games in 1998 and the World University Games in 2007.

Bangkadi Campus

Located in Bangkadi Industrial Park, the Bangkadi Campus is about 15 kilometers away southeast from the Rangsit Campus. The information technology program moved to this facility in June 2002. The management technology and the telecommunications programs also moved to Bangkadi in May 2003. It also houses all new ICT-related programs, for example, the computer science program. In June 2006, the new building "Sirindhralai" (Thai: สิรินธราลัย), the name graciously granted by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, was opened to accommodate the telecommunications, engineering management, and management technology programs.

Addresses

; Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Rangsit Campus: P.O. Box 22 Thammasat University, Rangsit Center: Pathumthani 12121, Thailand: Tel [phone]: Fax [phone]: [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/phones_en.php Rangsit Campus contact list]

; Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Bangkadi Campus: 131 Moo 5, Tiwanont Road, Bangkadi: Muang, Pathumthani 12000, Thailand: Tel [phone]: Fax [phone]: [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/phones_en.php Bangkadi Campus contact list]

ee also

* Education in Thailand — List of universities in Thailand
* Thammasat University — Nihon Keidanren — Federation of Thai Industries
* Education and Technology in Pathum Thani province

References

* Nishino, Fumio and Taweep Chaisomphob, 1997, [http://www3.grips.ac.jp/~nishino/fumio/GeneralPublication/GP-97.pdf A New Challenge for the Establishment of Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology at Thammasat University, Thailand] , Inauguration of the Institute's New Name 'Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology', Commemorative publication, pp.18-24.
* [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/pdf/10siit.pdf 10th Anniversary Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology]
* [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/publicat/SIITCOMM2006.pdf Commemorative Publication: 10th Anniversary of the Name Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology]

External links

Institute Websites

* [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/ SIIT official website]
* [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/ SIIT International Office] for all international affairs including training, student exchange (in-bound/out-bound), visiting faculty, and scholarships
* Research Groups
** [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/ergonomics Ergonomics and Safety Solutions Group]
** [http://kind.siit.tu.ac.th Knowledge Information & Data Management Laboratory]
** [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/5axis A New Software for 5-Axis Machining, Optimization, Simulation, and Verification Project]
** [http://it.siit.tu.ac.th/robocup/ Mobile Soccer Robot Group (RoboCup)]
** [http://ivc.siit.tu.ac.th/ Image and Vision Computing Laboratory]
** Construction and Maintenance Technology Research Center
** [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/graduate_trec_en.htm Transportation Research Center]

In the News

* [http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/pdf/10siit.pdf 10th Anniversary Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology]
* [http://www.cs.tufts.edu/~sanpawat/bkkpost1.html Back to the drawing board] (Bangkok Post, 1999) -- about engineering/technology education/research in Thailand
* [http://www.transworldeducation.com/articles/thailand2.htm Engineering & Technology Education in Thailand] (TransWorldEducation.com)
* [http://www.manager.co.th/QOL/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9480000023186 SIIT สถาบันการศึกษาของเด็กไทยหัวใจอินเตอร์] (in Thai) (Manager Online, 16 Feb 2005)
* [http://esi-topics.com/fbp/2004/december04-SandhyaBabel.html Sandhya Babel answers a few questions about this month's fast breaking paper in field of Engineering.] (ISI Essential Science Indicators, December 2004)

Others

* [http://siit.net/ SIIT Network] — Online community
*