AIT's SAR100-2.0 Capstone Week Celebrates 110 Women Engineers Driving the Energy Transition Across South Asia

Building on the success of the first SAR100 Capstone Week held at AIT in March 2024, this second cohort further strengthens regional collaboration and leadership development across South Asia.

Led by the World Bank and funded by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the South Asia Regional Infrastructure Connectivity (SARIC) initiative, SAR100-2.0 aims to elevate mid-career professionals into leadership roles within South Asia's evolving energy sector. The program is implemented by the Regional Knowledge Hub at the Yunus Center, AIT (YCA), with academic delivery by AIT's Department of Sustainable Energy Transition, School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD), in collaboration with national partners from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The program features six online modules followed by a one-week Capstone Seminar at the AIT campus.

The week included poster exhibitions, cultural performances, peer-learning sessions, and networking activities. Participants presented capstone projects on topics such as smart grids, distributed energy systems, gender-inclusive policy reform, and sustainable infrastructure.

A key highlight was the high-level panel discussion, "Advancing Regional Resilience through Women's Leadership in Sustainable Energy and Infrastructure," featuring representatives from the World Bank, DFAT, the National Power Training Institute (NPTI), and AIT. Participants also visited the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) for a technical field trip.

The week also saw the launch of The Power We Carry, a storybook capturing powerful narratives of leadership and resilience from the program's 110 graduates.

The event concluded with an award ceremony on May 30, attended by H.E. Fuwad Thowfeek, Ambassador of the Maldives to Thailand, and Mr. Simon Cramp, Strategic Director, Partnerships for Infrastructure, DFAT.

Ambassador Thowfeek said, "Programs like WePOWER SAR100 are not just milestones in individual careers, they are building blocks for reshaping entire systems. The graduates represent a new generation of leaders: technically capable, socially conscious, and globally connected."

"In this training program, we draw on the strengths of each country—whether it's infrastructure, resource people, or ongoing projects. There is so much happening across the region that we have the potential to create an interconnected knowledge infrastructure built around WePOWER." stated Prof. Faiz Shah, Executive Director, YCA and Program Director, SAR100

More than a training initiative, SAR100-2.0 is a regional platform fostering inclusive leadership in STEM. Through structured learning, mentorship, and cross-border collaboration, it equips women to lead South Asia's energy transformation and sustainable development journey.

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