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The Regional Information Service Centre for Southeast Asia on Appropriate Technology (RISE-AT)
was established in 1995 through the cooperation of the Institute for Science and Technology Research and Development, Chiang Mai University (CMU)
and the German Appropriate Technology Exchange (GATE), part of the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ).
RISE-AT's objective is to provide information support on appropriate technology to individuals and governmental and non-governmental organizations in order to improve economic, ecological and socio-cultural conditions in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Yunnan province in China.
RISE-AT was initiated in 1995 with interests in providing information services in field of Appropriate Technology
specific to the areas of renewable energy, waste management, sustainable agriculture and cottage based industries.
Since its inception, RISE-AT has been involved in catering to the information needs globally and locally through its
client oriented services such as the question and answer service,
expert database and technology transfer in
cooperation with network partner organizations.
RISE-AT was established by the cooperation between Institute for Science &
Technology Research and Development, Chiang Mai University and
Information Service of GATE (GATE-ID)
which is part of German Technical Cooperation (GTZ).
RISE-AT is managed by a Board of Trustees consisting of members from Chiang Mai University and the networking
partners of RISE-AT. The networking partners of RISE-AT who belong to the Government and Non-Governmental
organizations in Thailand and other countries share their expertise in the field of development and cooperate with
RISE-AT in the information and technology transfer services. The Advisors are experts with many years of experience
in the field of development and information services coordinate with the networking partners in advising the steering
committee to make the necessary policy decisions to efficiently fulfill the mission of the organization. RISE-AT has
experts in the fields of community business development, information service management, textiles, renewable energy,
sustainable agriculture and waste management.
RISE-AT receives many inquiries mainly through the question & answer service and also through direct contact.
These inquiries initiate a process of information exchange in appropriate technology. The inquirers are students,
researchers, government organizations, NGOs, private enterprises etc. The needs of the inquirer have to be
clarified in terms of purpose and objectives. In case the need for information is for initiating or managing a
development project, RISE-AT cooperates with the network partners who are experts in the field of inquiry and
also close in proximity to the inquirer and initiates a technology transfer process. All information that has to
be passed to the inquirer are analyzed by the experts in the relevant area before it is provided to the inquirer.
This assures quality control of the information transferred to the inquirer.
RISE-AT promotes the use of limited resources efficiently and effectively in the development of appropriate
technology as is appropriate for the developing regions of the world.
Apart from providing information to the clients by direct contact and through electronic means, RISE-AT
also has a Thai Newsletter with information on appropriate technology issues, events and new developments
in this field to cater to the local clients. Approximately 4000 Newsletters are circulated monthly to the people in Thailand.
RISE-AT is pursuing other cost effective and efficient means of information service through the use of the Internet
and also through further cooperation with networking partners locally and globally.
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