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A Heartwarming Return to SOM
Pathumthani, Thailand. On a cloudy Saturday morning, 25 years after graduation, a group of alumni led by Dr. Pham Thi Kim Ngoc arrived at the entrance of the SOM Building, beaming with smiles. Some remarked on how tall the trees have grown, while others noted that the SOM Building looked almost unchanged. This blend of noticeable growth and nostalgic stasis is a unique characteristic of AIT. The alumni group immediately recognized this familiar feeling. Despite being away for two and a half decades, walking down memory lane felt effortless, as if it were just yesterday.
A Journey Through History
To understand the significance of this visit, we must take a brief journey through history, particularly focusing on AIT’s entrance and growth in Vietnam. In 1993, the Asian Institute of Technology Center in Vietnam (AITCV, now known as AITVN) was established in Hanoi. This was under an agreement between the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam and AIT, with support from the Governments of Belgium and Finland. That same year, AIT also participated in the Swiss-AIT-Vietnam (SAV) Management Development Program. This initiative, supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, aimed to enhance business administration education at selected partner universities and upgrade the knowledge of business executives in Vietnam. Today, AITVN proudly stands as the first international tertiary education institution in Vietnam and AIT’s first center outside its headquarters in Thailand.
The visiting group comprised members of the SAV Batch 5, who began their studies in 1998 and graduated in 2000. On that Saturday morning, their shared experiences as former students merged into a joyful reunion. This deepened their understanding of how significantly AIT impacted their careers and accomplishments.
Reflections from an Alumnus
But don’t just take my word for it. Here’s a reflection from Assoc. Prof. Le Hieu Hoc, Dean of the Faculty of Education at Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), who is also a member of the SAV Alumni Batch 5 (MBA, 1998-2000):
“On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of our graduation, members of the SAV5 batch returned to the AIT campus with hearts full of emotion and gratitude. Walking through the familiar grounds and seeing our batch photo still displayed on the wall brought back a flood of memories, even though our beloved professors are no longer teaching there.
We were delighted to learn about the remarkable achievements and positive changes at AIT and the School of Management in recent years. It was especially inspiring to hear about the initial steps toward building and strengthening the SOM alumni network — a community we are proud to be part of.
A touching surprise awaited us when we coincidentally met our former professor, Prof. John Tang, and two of our Chinese batchmates, Rosy and Wang, who were also visiting SOM after 25 years. The reunion was as unexpected as it was heartwarming.
We enjoyed a lovely lunch with Dean Prof. Yuosre Badir and members of SOM’s faculty and staff, where we shared stories, laughter, and our appreciation. Later in the evening, we had a warm and memorable dinner in Bangkok with our beloved professor, Dr. Frederic W. Swierczek, whose kindness and warmth remain unchanged through the years.
As we celebrate this meaningful milestone, we extend our best wishes to AIT and SOM for continued growth, excellence, and global impact in the years ahead.
We also express our sincere thanks to Dean Prof. Yuosre Badir and the SOM team for their warm hospitality and thoughtful preparations to welcome us back. We look forward to more opportunities to reunite with other alumni at SOM.”
You will always be welcomed here.
A Grateful Acknowledgment
On behalf of SOM, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the alumni for visiting our campus. A special thank you goes to Associate Prof. Pham Thi Kim Ngoc, Vice Dean of the School of Economics and Management at HUST, for organizing this memorable Alumni Visit.
Participants of the Visit
The participants included (in no particular order):
Associate Prof. Le Hieu Hoc, Dean, Faculty of Education, Hanoi University of Science and Technology
Associate Prof. Pham Thi Kim Ngoc, Vice Dean, School of Economics and Management, Hanoi University of Science and Technology
Mrs. Truong Thi Lan Anh, OD consultant and visiting faculty
Mrs. Nguyen Thanh Ha, COO, Prudential Vietnam
Associate Prof. Pham Thi Bich Ngoc, Chairwoman, Human Resource Management Group, School of Business, National Economics University
Mr. Pham Minh Thang, CEO, Emall Corp.
Mrs. Bui Thanh Ngọc, Partner, KPMG (Vietnam) Ltd.
Prof. Nguyen Thi Thuc Doan, Chair of Marketing Department, School of Business, Woodbury University, USA
Mrs. Ha Thi Ngoc Lan, Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Banking, Cathay United Bank, HCMC Branch
We would also like to thank Dr. Muhammad Junaid, Dr. Willi Zimmermann, and Mr. Than Htut Oo for their participation in the event. A special mention goes to Mr. Abhishek Hulloli, a recent SOM alumnus, for organizing a wonderful lunch at Tan90 Cafe.
Exclusive Alumni Information
If you are an alumnus interested in visiting our campus, we welcome you back! Please visit us here: https://som.ait.ac.th/alumni to book a visit and find more information on alumni privileges such as Free Class Audits, Alumni Newsletter, and much more.
Another great opportunity to visit us is at the SOM Alumni Homecoming on October 11, 2025. Reserve your seats now: https://som.ait.ac.th/event-details/som-alumni-homecoming-2025
Stay connected! Find your classmates by joining our Official Alumni LinkedIn Group here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/71246/
Would you like to be an Alumni Mentor? Join our Mentorship Program 2025: https://som.ait.ac.th/mentorship-2025