On June 22, Beihang University convened the International Forum on Training Excellent Engineers and celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Sino-French Engineer School (Ecole de Centrale Peckin).

Among the attendees were Zhu Liying, Ambassador of the European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Yang Dan, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges at the Ministry of Education; Xu Chaofeng, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT); Li Yi, Director of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission; Tian Lulu, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Scholarship Council; An Yan, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Education Association for International Exchange; Adel Elarbi, Tunisian Ambassador to China; Radouane Chaouki, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Moroccan Embassy in China; Mickael Corbard, Attaché for Higher Education of the French Embassy in China; Representatives from CentraleSupélec, including President Romain Soubeyran and General Delegate Gilles Fleury; Gérard Creuzet, Academician of French Academy of Technologies; and Wang Yunpeng, President of Beihang University. The event was presided over by Zhao Weisheng, Vice President of Beihang University.

In his opening remarks, Yang Dan emphasized China’s commitment to deepening educational openness and fostering high-level international collaborations. He called for joint efforts in developing innovative models for cultivating top-tier engineers to address global challenges while enhancing mutual understanding, particularly among youth, to strengthen bilateral trust.

Xu Chaofeng highlighted MIIT’s continued support for the Sino-French Engineer School, urging the school to leverage policy and international cooperation to nurture interdisciplinary talent with global vision and practical engineering skills.

Li Yi praised the Sino-French Engineer School as a flagship of international education in Beijing, driving the city’s efforts to cultivate globally competent professionals. He stressed the need for updated pedagogical approaches to foster innovation and adaptability in students.

Romain Soubeyran noted that the Sino-French Engineer School was CentraleSupélec’s first overseas institution, marking two decades of success in meeting talent demands for both nations. Inspired by its success, the group has expanded similar initiatives in Morocco and beyond.

Gérard Creuzet commended the school as a perfect synthesis of Chinese and French educational excellence. He noted that both sides have overcome cultural and pedagogical challenges to prioritize student development and ultimately discovered optimal solutions.

On behalf of Beihang University, Wang Yunpeng extended a warm welcome to all distinguished guests and expressed heartfelt gratitude to government agencies, partner institutions, corporate allies, friends of the university, faculty, alumni, and especially the CentraleSupélec for their longstanding support to the Sino-French Engineer School. He reaffirmed Beihang’s dedication to enhancing Sino-French collaboration in education, research, and cultural exchange. He noted that as a pioneer in Sino-French engineering education collaboration, the school has consistently demonstrated trailblazing spirit in developing innovative global talent cultivation models. Moving forward, Beihang will collaborate with partners to enhance talent cultivation, scientific cooperation, and youth engagement, contributing to global progress and a shared future for humanity.

Geng Lisheng, Dean of the Sino-French Engineer School from the Chinese side, and Adnane Boukamel, Dean of the school from the French side, jointly presented a report on the school’s 20-year achievements, including its role in fostering bilateral ties, advancing engineering education, and producing over 1,000 graduates excelling in strategic sectors like aerospace and energy.

Alumnus Zhang Xueying, now a faculty member of the School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering and Chairman of Zhizhen Precision Instrument (Qingdao) Co., Ltd., stated in his speech that the general education model of the Sino-French Engineer School equips students with interdisciplinary engineering competence, enabling them to excel across diverse fields. He noted that alumni of the school have achieved outstanding accomplishments in various industries worldwide, holding key positions in multinational corporations and serving as a bridge for deeper collaboration between China and France.

Wang Yan, Vice President of Safran China, stated that Safran Group has been a key partner of the Sino-French Engineer School since its establishment in 2005. The two parties have maintained close collaboration on new technology R&D and student internships and employment, working jointly to cultivate globally competent engineers.

During the event, Geng Lisheng and Adnane Boukamel jointly presented honorary certificates to five corporate partners, including Beijing Yizhiying Technology Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Yuansuan Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing Zhixing Technology Co., Ltd., Zhizhen Precision Instrument (Qingdao) Co., Ltd., and AVIC Liyuan Hydraulics Co., Ltd.

At the forum, members of the Sino-French Cooperative Education Development Alliance issued a joint initiative, pledging to deepen cooperation in AI, green technology, and digital innovation while expanding student exchanges to strengthen bilateral ties.

The forum also featured a themed salon on Current Status and Trends of Sino-French Cooperation Development, a Deans' Forum on Sino-French Cooperative Education, and a Forum on the Establishment and Development of CentraleSupélec Alumni Association.

Prior to the forum, the graduation ceremony for the graduating class of 2025 of Sino-French Engineer School was held. Wang Yunpeng and Romain Soubeyran jointly conferred diplomas and engineering certificates to all graduates. Professor Huang Di from the School of Computer Science and Engineering addressed the ceremony as faculty representative, followed by student representative Wang Zekun.

Under the witness of Wang Yunpeng and Romain Soubeyran, both sides jointly unveiled the CentraleSupélec China Alumni Office and the Alumni Association of Sino-French Engineer School.

The Sino-French Engineer School of Beihang University, which began enrollment in 2005, stands as the first Sino-French cooperative engineer school since China's reform and opening-up. It is recognized as "a model of Sino-French higher education cooperation," receiving widespread acclaim from various sectors in both countries. It combines France’s elite "Prépa + Ingénieur" model with China’s bachelor-master integrated system, with a duration of 6.5-7 years. Graduates who meet all requirements receive bachelor's and master's degrees from Beihang University and the French Diplôme d’Ingénieur, recognized across Europe. With a legacy of excellence, the Sino-French Engineer School continues to shape the future of global engineering education. 

Editor: Lyu Xingyun