Subject: Invitation as Graduation Speaker (115th Graduation Ceremony, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), 26th May 2011

Graduation speech for about 300 graduating students from the School of Engineering and Technology (SET) will receive their doctoral or master’s degrees or the diploma of AIT at the ceremony which also attended by member of the AIT Board of Trustees, Diplomatic Corps of Bangkok, faculty, guests and parents of the graduating students.    

 

Your Excellencies,

AIT Board of Trustee members,

Professor Said Irandoust, AIT President

AIT Vice Presidents,

School Deans,

Faculty members,

Graduates,

Parents and Guardians  

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

This special occasion of graduation speech at AIT brings me happiness and honor.

First, My late father, Khun Sunthorn Hongladarom was the last Secretary – General of SEATO. SEATO was the founder of AIT. Had he alived to-day, he would have been proud of this occasion. 

Secondly, a human resources experts, AIT is one of premier global education institution which produce leaders for several decades. Those graduates have become leaders in several countries. 

May I take this opportunity to congratulate graduates of AIT this year. I hope you will be successful in your future, with happy life and career and become global citizen of this planet. 

Al Gore, former Vice President of United Stated in one of this graduates speeches, I quote “He did not remember who was his  graduation speech, he said most graduates remembered – the parties joy among parents and family members.” 

To-day I intend to provide you with 10 points, simple but challenge, hopefully in 20 years, some of these key points still important to you. 

First, university life and real life is different, prepare for the real world. – Famous Japanese businessman Morita once said – “In university you take mid-term and final exam, in life  and work you take real exam everyday. 

Second, make self – evaluation of yourself about your good and good experience and what you have learnt at AIT. Use your strong points and find gap in which you have to improve. As Churchill said in one of his graduate in speech “never never give up on improving yourself.”

Third, with good foundation of AIT, never stop to expand horizon or boundaries of your life and work. Life is so exciting in this time of your life, both challenging , unpredictable and complex, yet so much to learn and share. Be willing to learn, go across disciplines. 

Fourth, the strong point of AIT is international education and diversities, keep working on diversities which can turn diversities into high performances. Don’t use diversities for conflicts. 

Fifth, what ever you want to do in life and career in the future combine your personal goal and aspiration with societal and public interest. As former Secretary of Defense, Gates said in his last graduation speech at Washington State University, young generation do not volunteer themselves to serve public offices as your future career. 

Sixth, this one is very special to my life – never stop learning, knowledge is a good foundation but habit of life long learning is so important. AIT graduates have very strong left brain capability but we need to develop right brain capability, right brain is about creativity and imagination which can lead to innovation. 

Seventh, don’t forget to come back and serve AIT, AIT is famous because of their alumni reputation. Although small, but AIT graduates all our  the world are so well-known. I was honored to be invited by Dean Veerakorn to talk about putting AIT in a global world ranking university, you reputation and support to AIT can help to make it happen. 

Eight, the future of the world and ability of your human capital is not only skill and knowledge. It is sometime called intangibles, play attention to intangible quality of human capital. May I suggest my concept HRDS.

        H -  Happiness

        R – Respect

        D -  Dignity

        S – Sustainability

Ninth

As I said AIT is not only producing human capital for the world, In my opinion AIT is  producing Leadership for the future 2011. The world is full of crisis, somebody called it permanent crisis,  so all of you will be leader of crisis management.

 

Tenth

My small suggestion for all of you to use your experiences at  AIT to apply to real world. I call this concept 2 R’s

R- Reality

Whatever you do in the future, consider reality of situation, practical experience.

R­-Relevance

        Your knowledge and Experience must  focus to the impact of your action you have to reinvent yourself all the time to make your work relevant

       

In conclusion, I hope after 20 years , some of you still remember some of my suggestions, Congratulation, and good luck in your life.

Prof.Dr.Chira Hongladarom

Secretary - General of Foundation for International Human Resource Development

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