History
Yunus Center AIT (YCA) is a collaboration between Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and the Asian Institute of Technology. The first such center established with an academic institution, YCA’s vision is to harness the power of social business to create a poverty-free world. YCA adopts an action-learning approach that fosters the development and implementation of social business models informed by research, technology, and partnerships with a focus on gender equality. YCA draws upon the knowledge infrastructure and the global research network of the Asian Institute of Technology and taps into the expertise of individuals and organizations representing over the countries.
YCA Formative years: 2009 – 2011
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Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus and the Asian Institute of Technology formally launched the Yunus Center at AIT, the first of its kind outside of Bangladesh on the 19th of August, 2009. Prof. Muhammad Yunus remarked that this would be a landmark development in South-East Asia. “The Yunus Center at AIT will contribute to poverty alleviation by enabling rural people to handle and be in control of improving their own livelihoods through their own farming and agriculture-related business”.
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In the first two years of its formation, YCA had been under the interim directorship of Dr. Borje Wallberg and later, Dr. Christer Holstberg. The term of the very first director of the center, Dr. Borje, was relatively short-lived as he had completed his tenure with AIT by the end of 2009. Dr. Christer took over as Interim Director for a few months in 2010 and was eventually replaced by Dr. Riaz Khan, leading the Center for almost two years until mid-2012. There is a lack of available information on the activities and engagements of the Center during the first two years. However, it can be assumed that this formative period had been spent on raising awareness about the Center, especially since the concept of social business was still a novelty during that time. On May 2012, the Center organized a Social Business Symposium with Professor Yunus as a keynote speaker. It brought together business leaders and youngsters at one platform to discuss solutions to solve social problems in Thailand and the region.
YCA Reenergizing: 2012 – 2017
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In an effort to re-energize the center in line with the vision of the institute’s new management, YCA’s operations were integrated with the AIT Extension. Under the capable leadership of Dr. Faiz Shah, the Yunus Center AIT got a major revamp in terms of vision, strategy, and team composition. It positioned itself as a knowledge hub and enabling platform for enterprise-led development to address social challenges. Through the years, YCA has risen to become a thought leader and a go-to resource in the areas of social business, sustainable development, and mobile healthcare, among others. It has forged partnerships with government and private organizations, serving as a consultant in developing strategic programs for sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and community engagement. YCA has designed, organized, and implemented a number of capacity-building programs on social business, design thinking, case writing, and leadership
YCA Growth: 2018 – 2021
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YCA has grown exponentially in terms of network and influence during the last 4 years. Working within the framework of 3Es – Engage, Educate and Empower, YCA has successfully forged meaningful engagements and collaborations. It has solidified partnerships with Professor Yunus, Grameen Bangladesh, and the Yunus network around the world. YCA is represented in editorial boards, conference organizing committees, and consortiums. The YCA international internship program has received dozens of brilliant students who turned out to be effective ambassadors of the YCA brand. On June 2019, YCA co-hosted Social Business Day 2019, the world’s largest gathering of the social business community composed of leading experts, academics, innovators, and aspiring business owners. This was also to mark YCA’s 10th year anniversary.
YCA Growth: 2022 – 2024
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The Yunus Center AIT has undertaken numerous activities from 2022 to the present. Among these endeavors, the most significant achievements of 2022 include the WePower - SAR100 initiative and the hosting of the SBAC 11-2024 Social Business Academia Conference in 2024, both orchestrated by the Yunus Center AIT. Additionally, the year 2024 marks the 15th anniversary of the Yunus Center AIT, commemorating a decade and a half of impactful contributions and dedicated service to its mission. Here is the list for Yunus Center AIT projects.
