AIT ranked 'top international university' in the world

[webfact]

AIT ranked 'top international university' in the world
The Nation

The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand has tied for the title of the world's top international university in the U-Multirank 2015 Institutional Ranking released last week.

AIT claimed joint top rank in 'international orientation' of the new global university ranking among 1,200 universities from 83 countries.

In the second edition of the annual ranking announced on March 30, universities were compared using a variety of indicators across five dimensions - teaching and learning, research, knowledge transfer, international orientation and regional engagement.

AIT stood out as the only university in Asia among the top 41 universities in the world to receive full scores under 'international orientation'. The Pathum Thani institute earned straight "A" grades for its student mobility, international academic staff, international joint publications and international doctorate degrees.

AIT received a total of 11 "A" scores out of the 31 criteria, "placing it among the top 12% of the institutions that show a broad range of very good performance," U-Multirank said. AIT topped the table of five participating universities in Thailand, and was ranked 15th out of 202 selected universities in Asia.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/AIT-ranked-top-international-university-in-the-wor-30258300.html

-- The Nation 2015-04-20

[davehowden]

"

AIT ranked 'top international university' in the world"

"AIT topped the table of five participating universities in Thailand, and was ranked 15th out of 202 selected universities in Asia."

Usual Thai bull...t.

[NeverSure]

"Institute of technology."

A Thai university and technology are mentioned in the same breath.

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[NongKhaiKid]

To Be Number 1, irrespective of facts.

[rametindallas]

Do you guys hate Thailand so much that you can't give kudos to one small institution that is bucking the system and performing to top-level standards?

My congratulations to AIT in Thailand for your achievement and my hopes that the Education Ministry can learn from your methods.

[Somtamnication]

Never heard of them. But, ok.

[NongKhaiKid]

Do you guys hate Thailand so much that you can't give kudos to one small institution that is bucking the system and performing to top-level standards?

My congratulations to AIT in Thailand for your achievement and my hopes that the Education Ministry can learn from your methods.

For me it's not a question of not giving kudos but rather objecting to how a good situation is besmirched by Thais themselves making it something much more than it was.

People should be happy with an impressive position but TIT.

[englishoak]

Do you guys hate Thailand so much that you can't give kudos to one small institution that is bucking the system and performing to top-level standards?

My congratulations to AIT in Thailand for your achievement and my hopes that the Education Ministry can learn from your methods.

Yes and would be worthy of praise on its own merit, however this being Thailand thats not what the headline modestly alludes to, now is it ?

[NeverSure]

Do you guys hate Thailand so much that you can't give kudos to one small institution that is bucking the system and performing to top-level standards?

My congratulations to AIT in Thailand for your achievement and my hopes that the Education Ministry can learn from your methods.

I don't understand what it could have to do with hating Thailand, although one could be aware that Thailand is behind in technology without hating it.

The laugh was at the writers and here is how they opened the article:

"AIT ranked 'top international university' in the world"

The Nation

"The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand has tied for the title of the world's top international university in the U-Multirank 2015 Institutional Ranking released last week."

[pmarlin]

really not much of anything and not reliable as a source because lot of the information is supplied by the university/college. Besides most of them don't even join in the survey or don't recognize it. More here https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/03/30/mixed-opinions-european-union-funded-ranking-effort-enters-second-year

[chooka]

Move over Harvard and Cambrige here comes Thailand, and they want to reform education in Thailand. How can you be better than the best in the world?

[chooka]

Never heard of them. But, ok.

You have now and so has the world. They can quadruple thier fees and attract the greatest minds in the world now to come and study at the very best educational facility the world has to offer.

[zaphod reborn]

AIT is a good university. It is really the only international university in Thailand. Over 70% of its students are foreign-born. It's nowhere near a top-ranked university globally, but I am more willing to hire a graduate from AIT than from Chula, Mahidol, or Thammasat.

[NeverSure]

Can people major in Thainess there?

Edit: Not @you, Zaphod. I was typing when you posted.

Edited April 20, 2015 by NeverSure

[The Deerhunter]

An appalling distortion of the actual facts. Someone has successfully turned a modest achievement into a bad joke on the university (or Tech college.) "World first in Thailand" actually translates into "A legend in his own coffee break." Result?? Epic Fail!!!!!

[gandalf12]

So places like MIT are not as good? Come on joking

[paulharland]

My company actually employs a lot of newly graduated engineers from AIT and in most cases they progress very well in the business and are extremely competent. Well done i say...

Edited April 20, 2015 by paulharland

[seahorse]

really not much of anything and not reliable as a source because lot of the information is supplied by the university/college. Besides most of them don't even join in the survey or don't recognize it. More here https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/03/30/mixed-opinions-european-union-funded-ranking-effort-enters-second-year

A recent European University Association survey of its members’ experiences of using U-Multirank found that the initiative struggles with the same challenges as traditional rankings do in regards to the comparability of data: “Whether a university took part in [u-Multirank] or not, all expressed major concerns regarding the interpretation of the [u-Multirank] indicators across different institutions and countries and thus the validity of the data provided,” the E.U.A.’s survey report concluded.

[In Town]

The important part is "AIT claimed joint top rank in 'international orientation' of the new global university ranking among 1,200 universities from 83 countries." They are not saying it is the top university overall, just that it is the top university in "international orientation", whatever that is. It was set up to be a regional technology university (serving Asia) with funding from international donors (Britain, I think) and the medium of instruction is English. Its a good school, I think.

[Srikcir]

Do you guys hate Thailand so much that you can't give kudos to one small institution that is bucking the system and performing to top-level standards?

My congratulations to AIT in Thailand for your achievement and my hopes that the Education Ministry can learn from your methods.

In the U-Multirank Unicersity survey, International Orientation has four graded areas: Student mobility, International academic staff, International joint publications, and International doctorate degrees. AIT scored “A” is all four areas as did 40 other universities. So how was it deemed to be the top university in the world?

Because the ranking was done alphabetically beginning with the letter "A"!

[Srikcir]

In the U-Multirank University survey, International Orientation has four graded areas: Student mobility, International academic staff, International joint publications, and International doctorate degrees. AIT scored “A” is all four areas as did 40 other universities. But for AIT that would still seem to be an achievement.

HOWEVER

The bulk of the survey centered on scoring the over 1,000 universities by Teaching & Learning that was subdivided into six programs: Computer Science, Electrical Engineering. Mechanical Engineering, Medicine, Physics, and Psychology.

Scoring within each program was further divided into two areas: 1) Teaching & Learning, 2) Teaching & Learning Student Survey.

AIT only had one scored program (computer science) in the Teaching & Learning Student Survey area that was a “C” in Quality of courses & teaching. That placed AIT at #151 in the total rankings for computer science.

Prince of Songkla ranked higher in Physics (#127) and Mechanical Engineering (#97)

[cyrus9]

AIT is indeed an international university in Thailand with most its academic faculty members from US and Europe. UN, US, Canada, and some European countries are the main sponsors of this great institute in Thailand.

I think some foreigners know nothing about Thailand or AIT and make some silly comments.

[DavisH]

AIT is a good university. It is really the only international university in Thailand. Over 70% of its students are foreign-born. It's nowhere near a top-ranked university globally, but I am more willing to hire a graduate from AIT than from Chula, Mahidol, or Thammasat.

They generally get well qualified people, as salaries (when I applied) started out at about 100K a month or so. They seem to be employing more Thais these days though, as more and more Thais are studying overseas and coming back looking for well paid work.

[Baerboxer]

Do you guys hate Thailand so much that you can't give kudos to one small institution that is bucking the system and performing to top-level standards?

My congratulations to AIT in Thailand for your achievement and my hopes that the Education Ministry can learn from your methods.

There are indeed many good Universities in Thailand, many of which have a surprising number of international students, for all sorts of countries.

However, to be fair, this is the second year these awards have been made. Hmmm, have you ever heard of this awarding body - sounds like you pays your money and takes your chance.

These ranking things always remind me of a sports analogy. A British school friend later fought for a world boxing championship, in America, which he lost. His next fight was against a young Irish American who was supposed to be the next great one. The Brit knocked him out in the first round. Whoops went the young newcomers ranking. His camps reaction - his mum formed her own "world" boxing association and promptly placed her son at number one rank in this weight. Of course no one took it seriously and I never heard of him again.

Not suggesting anything is wrong with AIT, just that a lot of "qualifications" and ranking awards are simply sold or contrived.

[Baerboxer]

AIT is a good university. It is really the only international university in Thailand. Over 70% of its students are foreign-born. It's nowhere near a top-ranked university globally, but I am more willing to hire a graduate from AIT than from Chula, Mahidol, or Thammasat.

Would you consider the % of students foreign born as the criteria for deciding on how "international" a University is?

[zakk9]

AIT is a good university. It is really the only international university in Thailand. Over 70% of its students are foreign-born. It's nowhere near a top-ranked university globally, but I am more willing to hire a graduate from AIT than from Chula, Mahidol, or Thammasat.

Would you consider the % of students foreign born as the criteria for deciding on how "international" a University is?

The only thing Thai about AIT is its location in Thailand. Most students are foreign, most teachers/lecturers are foreign, funding is, as far as I know, foreign. They don't even have a Thai language web page. If that doesn't make it international, I don't know what would.

[wabothai]

Good for them, let us hope it eventually shows in an uplift of Thailand which is so badly needed.

[razer]

I am suffering some cognitive dissonance on this one.

[zakk9]

Good for them, let us hope it eventually shows in an uplift of Thailand which is so badly needed.

I wouldn't hold my breath. They've been around for well over 50 years already without having much impact Thailand other than churning out well qualified students from countries all over Asia. The student mostly return to their home countries after graduating, which is also the purpose of the institution. It's a regional university rather than a national one.

http://www.ait.ac.th/about#.VTSMBhc4rKA

[MobileContent]

AIT has always been the best university in Thailand and most of the board members are Thai's.

We hired in the past students from AIT and they end up in no time with a pay of 100-150k.