Our Purpose and Mission

History

Opening the office in Bangkok was a strategic decision, rooted in decades of MIT engagements across Southeast Asia — spanning a network of 1,970+ alumni in the region, with 200+ action learning projects since 2002 involving 800+ MIT Sloan students (as of October 2024). 

This momentum continues through programs such as the ASEAN Lab and Thailand Summer Lab, which allow students to immerse themselves in Southeast Asian industry, academia, policy, and management challenges through hands-on engagements with local organizations. Faculty research is also making real-world, on-the-ground impact — from Professor Miho Mazereeuw’s Urban Risk Lab, which develops resilience networks and community mapping tools now used by 500,000+ people for disaster preparedness, to Professor John Fernandez’s Urban Metabolism Group, whose research in multiple Thai cities examines sustainability metrics and urban consumption patterns to inform more resilient and sustainable development. The MIT Sloan ASEAN Office builds on this legacy, driving deeper collaboration and commitments between MIT and Southeast Asia. 

Vision

To make a better world through education, research, and innovation in Southeast Asia. 

Mission

The MIT Sloan ASEAN Office serves as a HUB for Southeast Asia strengthening MIT’s presence and engagement in the region, a BRIDGE connecting MIT and regional stakeholders, and a CONVENER for innovation and impact. 

• Hub — As MIT’s hub in Southeast Asia, we anchor the Institute’s visibility in the region by hosting flagship conferences and symposiums, managing external communications, and maintaining a calendar of events and physical presence that foster meaningful engagement.
• Bridge — As a bridge between MIT and Southeast Asia, we connect regional industry, academia, thought leaders and communities with MIT’s faculty, programs, departments, and initiatives – ensuring that knowledge and opportunities flow in both directions.
• Convener — As a convener for innovation and impact, we facilitate the dialogue that sparks collaboration between MIT and the right regional stakeholders to address pressing challenges. Through our initial support and organization, we strive to help translate knowledge into policy and practice, generating lasting regional outcomes and impact. 

Strategic Priorities

The MIT Sloan ASEAN Office grounds its work in President Sally Kornbluth’s five Institute-wide initiatives: the Climate Project, the MIT Health and Life Sciences Collaborative (MIT HEALS), the MIT Generative AI Consortium (MGAIC), the Initiative for New Manufacturing  (INM), and the MIT Human Insight Collaborative (MITHIC). It also reflects MIT Sloan Dean Richard Locke’s emphasis on how emerging technologies are reshaping education, industry, and the workplace, with an emphasis on climate change, generative artificial intelligence, the future of work, advanced manufacturing, and health. Together, these priorities guide the Office’s regional focus areas for collaboration and impact.