On the afternoon of May 21, Fabrizio Hochschild-Drummond, Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, visited Beihang University and joined Beihang Grand Lecture and Global Competence Lecture. His lecture titled "Talent Needs of International Organizations — Competency Framework Reconstruction and Educational Paradigm Innovation" explored critical issues in global governance and talent cultivation.

Mr. Hochschild currently serves as Senior Advisor and Fellow of Geneva Center for Security Policy, Co-Chair of Advisory Committee at UNITAR Global Sustainable Development Goals and Leadership Development Centre, and Senior Advisor of International Competence Development Committee.

Mr. Zhang Ning, Vice President of Chinese Society of Educational Development Strategy and Chairman of International Competence Development Committee, accompanied Mr. Hochschild for the visit.

President Wang Yunpeng warmly welcomed Mr. Hochschild and expressed sincere gratitude for his visit to Beihang University and his delivery of speech for Beihang Grand Lecture and Global Competence Lecture.

During the meeting, the two sides held in-depth discussions on international talent education, students’ global competence and global governance. President Wang Yunpeng introduced Beihang’s recent development in education, scientific research, and international collaboration to Mr. Hochschild. He emphasized the university’s strong commitment to enhancing students’ global capacity. Beihang, he said, has been actively expanding global networks, developing global educational programs, and establishing a comprehensive global competence education system to foster students’ global competitiveness. The university has deepened cooperation with international organizations and established the Asia Simulation Federation, offering students a global platform for invaluable international exposure.

Mr. Hochschild expressed his gratitude for President Wang Yunpeng’s warm reception and congratulated Beihang's remarkable accomplishments in education and scientific research. He said that the United Nations has long been committed to promoting scientific and technological achievements in the service of world peace and human development, which provides a wide space for higher education and research institutions including Beihang to participate in global issues such as the peaceful development and utilization of outer space. He looked forward to discussing further possibilities to collaborate with the university.

President Wang Yunpeng and Mr. Hochschild also had in-depth discussions and exchanges on climate change, green aviation and other topics during the meeting. Wang Yunpeng awarded the Beihang Grand Lecture certificate to Hochschild.

After the meeting, Mr. Hochschild delivered the lecture "Talent Needs of International Organizations — Competency Framework Reconstruction and Educational Paradigm Innovation" at the Sunrise Concert Hall, focusing on the cultivation of international talents and career development.

Students and faculty members from Xueyuan Road Campus and Shahe Campus, and students from Beihang Affiliated Middle School attended the lecture. Students from Hangzhou International Campus joined the lecture online.

Mr. Hochschild introduced his career at the United Nations, including UN’s structure, historical mission and global contributions. He began his career with UN Refugee Agency in Sudan in 1988, and has not only had on-the-ground experience in peacekeeping in war-torn areas such as Tanzania and the Central African Republic, but also the macro perspective of coordinating UN operations in Geneva and New York. This experience has given him a clearer understanding of the United Nations system and has enabled him to accumulate a wealth of practical experience in multilateral diplomacy and international cooperation. “Mr. Hochschild’s experience in war-torn places such as South Sudan made me realize that mission and values are the most important professional quality for engaging in international affairs. He set a spiritual example that I sincerely admire.”Li Weiguang, a 2022 class PhD student at the School of Physics, said.

Talking about the core ability of practitioners in international organizations, Hochschild particularly emphasized the fundamental role of foreign language proficiency, and in particular the critical role of English. He pointed out that although the official languages of the United Nations include Chinese, English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Russian, English remains the dominant language for more than 80% of work scenarios in international organizations. Language proficiency is indispensable to cross-cultural collaboration competence. Amjad Nawaz, a Pakistani international student at Beihang, said: “The importance of cross-cultural collaboration skills has prompted me to think seriously about how to improve my international competence through language, reading, communication and interaction.”

Hochschild emphasized that building consensus with collaborators from different backgrounds requires an open-minded understanding of cultural differences. For humanitarian practitioners, resilience to stress and commitment to the values of the United Nations are the foundation of their profession, which plays an important role in coping with complex environments and serve as the key motivation to drive their long-term missions. He emphasized the importance of reading to enhance international cognition through cultural symbols to gain deeper insights into different cultures, and encouraged young people to improve reading ability. He suggested that young people should accumulate international practical experience through diversified ways, such as internships in international organizations, so as to enhance their comprehensive quality.

During the Q&A session, Beihang students actively exchanged views with Mr. Hochschild on topics such as how doctoral students can play a role in international organizations, strategies for cultivating cross-cultural communication skills, and the realities of humanitarian work. The lecture concluded in a lively atmosphere.

During his tour, Mr. Hochschild also visited the Center for Micro-Nano Innovation of Beihang (Beihang Nano) and Beijing Air and Space Museum.

The Beihang Grand Lecture and Global Competence Lecture by Mr. Hochschild was co-organized by the International Relations Department, the Department of Public Communication and the Youth League Committee of the university. Launched in April 2024, the Global Competence Lecture has featured 15 eminent and renowned lecturers including Nobel Prize winners, the former Deputy Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Vice President of Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Covering critical topics such as international organizations, global governance, and education internationalization, the lecture has attracted over 3,700 participants. The program has become an important platform for fostering students’ global competence.

Editors: Cao Qizheng, Chen Chao, Guo Yuhan, Wan Lina