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On October 24, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand held a ceremony to celebrate its 60th Anniversary, along with a Presidents' Forum. Tohoku University maintains a university-level academic exchange agreement with AIT. Attending the ceremony were President Hideo Ohno, Executive Vice President Takafumi Aoki, Executive Vice President Toshiya Ueki, and Professor Kazuko Suematsu - Special Advisor to the President.

Princess Sirindhorn, the first member of the Thai Royal Family to become an AIT alumna attended the commemorative ceremony. Also in attendance were the presidents and other senior representatives of 32 universities and institutions in Thailand and abroad, AIT alumni, and government officials.

At the ceremony, President Joyce McConnell of Colorado State University gave a keynote speech entitled "Founding University for AIT." AIT President Eden Woon outlined, "Every organisation must move forward, and no organisation will succeed in a sustainable manner by standing still and basking in past glory." He added that AIT is innovating its research and teaching; nurturing future entrepreneurs; and engaging more deeply with the private sector and its alumni.

At the Presidents' Forum, three sessions were held under the theme of "Social Impact with Innovation." President Ohno gave a presentation at the second session entitled, "How Your University Collaborates Globally with Academic, Government, Multinationals, or Non-Profit Organisations in Social Impact Research." Representatives from five European and Asian Universities also joined President Ohno at the session.

President Ohno expressed gratitude for the support received from all over the world following the Great East Japan Earthquake. He introduced Tohoku University's efforts to carry out research on disasters and to provide education regarding their prevention, based on the lessons learned from the disaster. He also spoke about the Sustainable Development Goals adopted at the United Nations Summit in 2015, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the World Bosai Forum held in Sendai. President Ohno showcased the fact that Tohoku University's research and knowledge on disasters are widely shared in Japan and overseas, especially in local communities. He stated that he would like to further promote interdisciplinary collaboration around the world with respect to disaster science.

AIT and Tohoku University signed an academic exchange agreement in 1998, and the two universities have since conducted academic and research exchanges in the field of engineering.

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