This event is a key element of AIST’s strategic plan for industry collaboration in steelmaking regions around the world.

Mr. Naveen Jindal, two-time member of the Indian Parliament from the Kurukshetra Lok Sabha constituency in Haryana, chairman and managing director of Jindal Steel & Power Limited (JSPL), and chairman of Jindal Power Limited, a subsidiary of JSPL, addressed attendees during the opening ceremony of the ISA. JSPL and Jindal Power Limited are part of the US$15 billion diversified O.P. Jindal Group.
 
In his opening address, Mr. Jindal stated, "During the (ISA) course, I encourage all the participants to discuss not only your positive achievements, but also your challenges so that we may all learn. When you are teaching others, your own knowledge is enhanced."

For more than a century, AIST has fostered the dissemination and exchange of steel technology through a variety of technical programs and publications. In recent years, AIST has implemented initiatives such as the ISA to export the AIST brand of networking and education to developing steel markets.

The International Steel Academy program addresses a number of key technological issues generated by the tremendous growth of steel production in India. These issues include technology selection, investment and innovation in research and development, benchmarking the present production facilities and their modernization, infrastructure constraints, raw material beneficiation, utilization of waste materials and technical manpower availability. The ISA represents a positive step toward addressing these concerns.

About the International Steel Academy
Designed to bring world-class steel education directly to regions experiencing accelerated growth, the AIST International Steel Academy provides a broad and deep understanding of the steel manufacturing process. Two separate courses, The Making, Shaping and Treating of Steel (MSTS) 201: Steelmaking and MSTS 202: Steel Shaping and Treating, bring together decades of internationally recognized efforts acquired in industry and academia, reflecting the vitality and global nature of steel manufacturing innovation. Held concurrently over four days, the individual courses are subdivided into the major elements required to produce quality steel products in today’s economy.

The lead instructors for MSTS: 201 and MSTS: 202 are Dr. Ing. Jürgen Cappel and Dr. Ir. B.C. De Cooman, respectively. Dr. Cappel is a respected steel industry consultant with more than 20 years of experience working in iron- and steelmaking facilities. Dr. De Cooman is a professor at the Graduate Institute of Ferrous Technology (GIFT) at the Pohang University of Technology and Science (POSTECH), Korea.

The 2012 International Steel Academy was held on 3–6 December 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey. The inaugural AIST International Steel Academy was held on 5–8 December 2011 at the Tata Steel Ltd. Shavak Nanavati Technical Institute in Jamshedpur, India.

AIST is a non-profit technical association of 16,000 members from 70 countries, with the mission to advance the technical development, production, processing and application of iron and steel. The organization is recognized as a global leader in networking, education and sustainability programs for advancing iron and steel technology.

AIST Member Chapters meet locally to foster the exchange of ideas and provide opportunities for networking among peers in the industry. The AIST India Member Chapter was instrumental in bringing the ISA to India. Also instrumental were event sponsor Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.; corporate sponsor Essar Steel, associate sponsors Cortech, Harsco Metals & Minerals; and event contributors Joint Plant Committee, Steel Authority of India and Tata Steel.