About The Yunus Program
The YPM is a one-of-a-kind Master's program, visualized by a Nobel Peace Prize winning thought leader in Social Business and enterprise-led development, is offered by the region's leading university, located in the entrepreneurial heartland of Asia. The YPM is connected to the Yunus Academia Network in 87 Universities in 5 Continents.
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The flexible instructional design combines online, in-class, and experiential learning, equips mid-career professionals, working executives, and aspiring entrepreneurs for careers in the corporate, development, public, or enterprise sectors.
Professor Muhammad Yunus
Professor Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank, recognized as the father of microcredit, and Social Business, an economic movement that has helped lift millions around the world out of poverty. Grameen Bank has lent over USD 12.5 billion since its inception, to over 8 million borrowers, most of whom are women. In 2006, Professor Yunus and Grameen Bank were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for their efforts to create economic and social development from below.” Professor Yunus was named among the “10 Most Influential Business Gurus” by Forbes in 2009. In 2004, he was honoured by the Asian Institute of Technology with an honorary doctorate.
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Professor Yunus has led the creation of over 50 social business enterprises, demonstrating the efficacy of the concept in over 30 countries. His four books, “Banker to the Poor” (2003), “A World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism” (2008) and “Building Social Business” (2010) and “A World of Three Zeros” (2017), all best-sellers, continue to shape and influence enterprise-led development as an emerging discipline.
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The Yunus Masters at AIT honours Professor Yunus' thought leadership in Social Business and Entrepreneurship. Students attend Professor Yunus' masterclasses during Yunus Colloquium that is offered as part of the program every summer.
Dr. Faiz Shah
Dr. Faiz Shah has led the design of the Yunus Masters, guided by Professor Yunus, and supported by colleagues within AIT and the Social Business Academia network over a number of years. Since 2012, Dr. Shah directs the Yunus Center at the Asian Institute of Technology (YCA) and serves as the President of the Yunus Thailand Foundation.
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In an international career spanning four decades, he has worked in academia, business, government, and the UN system overseen more than 300 development projects, and taught over 3,000 grassroots changemakers in over a dozen countries. With affiliation to the AIT School of Management, he has taught on the Professional Masters' in CSR, and as head of the Development Management department at AIT Extension, he has coordinated high-impact programs such as the Epidemic Prevention, Control, and Management (DEPCAM) program, the Energy Services Management & Technology (EDSMAT), program, and the High-Efficiency Irrigation (PIHP) program. He is a visiting professor at the College of Innovation at Thammasat University, and Faculty of Management at Kasetsart University, Bangkok.
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His most recent publication is the authorized Urdu edition of "The Three Zeros" by Professor Muhammad Yunus (2019).
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Yunus Center AIT
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 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.
About Asian Institute of Technology
The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), founded in 1959, is an international postgraduate research university with a sustainable development mission, hosted by the Royal Thai Government. Programs focus on Engineering, Sustainability, and Management studies. AIT’s English-speaking environment offers rigorous academic, research, and experiential programs to prepare graduates for professional success and leadership roles in Asia and beyond.
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The Yunus Center at AIT (YCA) is an Institute-wide outreach center established in 2009 as the first collaboration of its kind between a university and Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. YCA's mandate is to Engage, Educate, and Empower by promoting Social Business and Enterprise-led Development approaches through engagement, education, and co-develop and implement CSR-ESG solutions to enhance social impact o business on society.
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With alumni spread across 106 countries, AIT carries a global reputation as a hub of innovation in research and teaching relevant to industry and promotion of entrepreneurship. AIT's MBA is ranked as the top program in Thailand, and a number of faculty are recognized among the top 1-2% in the world. It has consistently ranked highest in the world for internationality. AIT's beautiful green campus just north of Bangkok, Thailand, is a vibrant multicultural community where students can interact with peers and scholars from over 40 countries for an unparalleled learning experience.