A delegation led by Vice President Zhao Weisheng recently visited Brazil, traveling to Brasília, Campinas and São Paulo to launch new branches of the Beihang Innovation Institute in Brazil, co-host the third Beihang Brazil Innovation Forum, and deepen cooperation with Brazilian universities and research institutions.

The visit marked another step in advancing Beihang's "three-pronged" cooperation framework in Brazil, which integrates a Confucius Institute, the Beihang Innovation Institute in Brazil and a Brazil Center.

Extending the Innovation Institute to Brasília and São Paulo

The Beihang Innovation Institute in Brazil, the university's first overseas research institute, was inaugurated in Rio de Janeiro in 2025. During this visit, the institute extended its reach to Brasília and São Paulo, Brazil's political and economic centers, creating new opportunities for research collaboration and innovation.

In Brasília, the delegation visited the University of Brasília (UnB) for the signing and unveiling of the Beihang Innovation Institute in Brazil (Brasília) and a joint laboratory on advanced space propulsion and space technology applications. The event was attended by Rozana Naves, Rector of UnB; Marco Chamon, President of the Brazilian Space Agency; and Zhu Qingqiao, Chinese Ambassador to Brazil. The ceremony coincided with the university's second "China Week," held as part of the China-Brazil Cultural Year.

The joint laboratory, co-built by Beihang and UnB, will focus on space propulsion systems, spacecraft technology, microsatellites, GNSS applications and remote sensing. It will promote joint projects, faculty and researcher exchanges, and thematic seminars to advance both research innovation and talent cultivation.

Unveiling of the Beihang Innovation Institute in Brazil (Brasília)

Building New Momentum for Academia-Industry Collaboration in São Paulo

In São Paulo, the third Beihang Brazil Innovation Forum opened at the University of São Paulo (USP), alongside the signing and unveiling of the Beihang Innovation Institute in Brazil (São Paulo). The event was attended by Julio Meneghini, Director of USP's Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Innovation; Ricardo Trindade, Director of the USP China Center; and representatives from Chinese companies including Three Gorges, BYD and Great Wall Motor.

Under the theme "Interdisciplinary Empowerment, Innovation Leadership: Building a Multidimensional China-Brazil Network for Science, Education and Talent," researchers and company representatives discussed green aviation, clean energy, and artificial intelligence. The forum sought to strengthen ties between academia and industry and identify opportunities for joint research, technology development, and commercialization. The São Paulo branch is expected to better connect local research strengths with industrial needs.

Unveiling of the Beihang Innovation Institute in Brazil (São Paulo)

Broadening Partnerships Across Brazil

In Brasília, Denise Pires de Carvalho, President of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), praised the China-Brazil Youth Science and Technology Innovation Leadership Camp, which brought together nearly 400 Chinese and Brazilian students and faculty, and expressed hope for further academic and cultural exchanges. Building on this momentum, Beihang sent 16 graduate students to the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) from October 7 to 23 for a two-week China-Brazil International Summer School on Science and Technology Innovation and Excellent Engineers.

In Campinas, the delegation visited the University of Campinas (Unicamp) and held talks with Vice Rector Fernando Coelho on student exchanges, faculty visits and research cooperation.

Beihang students take part in the China-Brazil International Summer School on Science and Technology Innovation and Excellent Engineers

Beihang's "three-pronged" cooperation framework in Brazil forges a distinctive cooperation model that is grounded in culture, driven by research, and closely tied to industry. The Confucius Institute, built on a “Chinese + aerospace" model, focuses on people-to-people exchange. The Innovation Institute in Brazil drives overseas joint research through three joint labs—a Big Data and Large Models Laboratory with UFRJ, a Green Aviation Laboratory with USP, and a China-Brazil Mathematics Laboratory with IMPA. The Brazil Center, based at Beihang Hangzhou International Campus, serves as a strategic hub for industry-education integration and resource coordination.

Editor: Lyu Xingyun