On the morning of July 14, the 2026 Beihang International Summer School (BISS) was grandly opened at the Music Hall of the Hangzhou International Campus, Beihang University. More than 600 international young students and scholars from 60 countries, together with nearly 500 Beihang students, gathered in Hangzhou to embark on a two-week journey of academic exchange and cultural mutual learning.

Jia Peng, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education, Li Qing, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Scholarship Council, Yao Jing, Chinese Ambassador to Spain, and José Capilla, Rector of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), delivered video speeches. Zhao Weisheng, Vice President of Beihang University, and Shu Peidong, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province, attended the opening ceremony and delivered addresses.

In his video speech, Jia Peng pointed out that this summer school is a vivid practice of implementing the important initiative of "doubling the number of European youth exchanges." The establishment of the Zhongfa Aviation Institute (ZFAI), the Beihang INSA Institute for Applied Sustainable Sciences and Technology (BIFAST), and the Beihang Valencia Polytechnic Institute (BVPI) , as well as the overseas College of Excellent Engineers in Spain jointly built by Beihang and the UPV, testify to the deepening of Sino-European educational cooperation. He encouraged young students from all countries to cherish this exchange opportunity, broaden their horizons through cross-cultural learning, and become friendly envoys facilitating scientific, technological, and cultural exchanges.

Li Qing stated that this summer school has attracted students from 89 universities worldwide, building a platform for scientific research exchange for global youth and showcasing the vitality of China's higher education in open cooperation. She emphasized that the China Scholarship Council will continue to facilitate the global mobility of Chinese and foreign young students. She encouraged students to delve deeply into academics, learn from each other's cultures, and gain friendship, becoming bridges connecting different civilizations and enhancing mutual understanding in the future.

Yao Jing encouraged the Spanish students participating in this international summer school to fully seize this exchange opportunity to broaden their horizons and improve their abilities through classroom learning, scientific research practice, and teamwork. He hoped they would foster friendship and growth through in-depth exchanges with Chinese teachers and students, striving to become bridges promoting Sino-Spanish educational exchanges and youth cooperation.

José Capilla stated that the cooperation between the UPV and Beihang is continuously deepening, and the BVPI will become an important platform for promoting youth exchanges and innovative cooperation. He hoped that students would build friendships, inspire each other, broaden their horizons, and grow through cross-cultural learning during this exchange, further deepening their understanding of diverse cultures and jointly exploring future cooperation possibilities.

At the opening ceremony, Shu Peidong noted that Zhejiang has always promoted international educational cooperation with an open and inclusive attitude, being the only "Reform and Innovation Pilot Zone for High-Quality Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education" in China. He expressed his expectation that young students from all countries would, through this international summer school, stimulate wisdom in academic exploration, understand China through cultural experiences, and build lasting friendships through joint endeavors, contributing their youthful strength to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Zhao Weisheng pointed out that Beihang has borne a distinct international gene since its founding. In recent years, the university has deeply implemented its international development strategy and continuously expanded its international cooperation network. As an important window for Beihang to the world, the Hangzhou International Campus adheres to the positioning of "high standards, new mechanisms, and internationalization," providing a new platform for global youth exchange and growth. He put forward three hopes for the young students: to be truth-seeking explorers combining knowledge with practice; to be collaborative partners bridging China and the world through enhanced mutual trust; and to be forward-looking practitioners with a strong sense of responsibility, addressing global challenges with their expertise.

At the ceremony, Chinese and foreign students jointly performed the chorus "We Are the World." Guests present presented flags to the various programs of the international summer school, the Hangxing Chinese-Foreign Student Summer Practice Team and the Nuanhang Chinese-Foreign Student Volunteer Service Team.

Following the opening ceremony, Professor Donald Bruce Dingwell, Foreign Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), President of the European Academy of Sciences, and Director of the International Research Center for Geological and Planetary Sciences at Hangzhou International Innovation Institute, delivered a keynote speech.

Focused on STEM disciplines such as artificial intelligence, embodied intelligence, basic sciences, advanced materials, and aerospace, the 2026 BISS offers 16 cutting-edge programs. It has attracted students from world-renowned institutions such as the National University of Singapore, Imperial College London, Politecnico di Milano, École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, Moscow Aviation Institute, University of Auckland and Chulalongkorn University. Notably, UPV sent a delegation of over 300 faculty and students, making it the largest student academic exchange delegation from Spanish universities in STEM fields to China in recent years.

Spanning two weeks, the summer school features not only academic and research activities under each program, but also a rich array of cultural and sports events open to all Chinese and international participants, including traditional Chinese culture courses, field trips to world cultural heritage sites, and friendship sports matches. Through mutual learning and appreciation, students will deepen mutual understanding and build enduring friendships, injecting youthful momentum into exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

Editor: Liu Tingting