The Short-Term Training Sessions of the Second China-Arab States BDS Cooperation Forum in Tunisia was held by the International Exchange and Training Center of China Satellite Navigation Office from April 1 to 2, responding to the proposal of ensuring “the smooth flow of talents and ideas along the Belt and Road” by President Xi Jinping in his speech at Arab League Headquarters in 2016.
The training sessions were attended by directors of the International School and the School of BeiDou and the Silk Road and teachers from the School of Electronic and Information Engineering and the School of Transportation Science and Engineering, who were representatives of the International Exchange and Training Center. There were also attendees from the Arab Information and Communication Technologies Organization (AICTO).
During the sessions, 13 Chinese experts delivered their reports respectively to introduce the basic principles of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), the application of BDS to geographic information and precision agriculture, the technical trend in small satellites, the development of BDS-related training capabilities and the experience with BDS products and application system to 48 students from countries in the Arab World, such as Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Iraq and Mauritania. A visit to the China-Arab States BDS/GNSS Center in Tunisia was also arranged for them in order to improve African and Arab users’ knowledge, experience and application of BDS and other GNSS systems.
Training sessions and the visit at the China-Arab States BDS/GNSS Center in Tunisia
Discussion with the students who attended the event
Before the training sessions, Dr. Weng Jingnong, Dean of the International School, issued the offer of admission to the Master Program on Space Technology Applications with scholarship to three students at the opening ceremony of the Second China-Arab States BDS Cooperation Forum. He also participated in the high-level dialogue of the forum.
A group photo of the participants
Aimed at facilitating the popularization and application of BDS in the Arab region, the training sessions were well-received and aroused great interest in BDS technology and applications among the participants. The sessions will promote the implementation of the "hundred, thousand and ten thousand" project for enhancing China-Arab friendship and the joint training of professionals in the field of satellite navigation with African and Arab countries.
Reported by Jin Tian
Reviewed by Weng Jingnong and Jing Guifei
Edited by Jia Aiping
Translated by Li Mingzhu
