Beihang President Xu Huibin was invited to attend the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) 10th Anniversary Conference held in Beijing on November 14.
With the theme “Promote Space Cooperation and Build a Community of Shared Future”, the conference aims at giving full play to the role of APSCO in advancing pragmatic cooperation, openness and sharing, so as to push forward the development of space industry in the Asia-pacific Region. Besides events like Opening Ceremony, Space Agency Administrators Sub-forum and other sub-forums, the “International seminar on cultivating the next generation of space innovative talents through space cooperation” was also held during the period of the conference. Attending the meeting were over 100 representatives from relevant government departments, colleges and universities, research institutes, industry associations and enterprises at home and abroad.
Following the Opening Ceremony, President Xu Huibin renewed the cooperation agreement between Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization and Beihang University with Li Xinjun, Secretary General of APSCO, witnessed by Miao Wei, Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technologyof China, Zhang Kejian, Director of China National Space Administration, and representatives of other Asia-pacific member states.
During the event, President Xu Huibin also toured the APSCO Exhibition and talked with representatives from space agencies and other universities.
At the following APSCO 10th Anniversary High-Level Forum, Vice President Huang Haijun, on behalf of Beihang University, delivered a speech entitled “Beihang Global Campus and International Space Education”. He mainly introduced the current development of Beihang from perspectives of internationalization, degree and non-degree programs on space education, academic exchanges and the APSCO Small Student Satellite program led by Beihang University. Some overseas graduate students from Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization Education and Training Center in China, which is located at Beihang University, were also invited for the forum.
At the APSCO 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner, Beihang was honored with the prize of Space Education Partner Institution Best Practices Award by the APSCO for its unique contribution to APSCO in terms of talent cultivation.
The history of APSCO can be stretched back to 1992 when the Asia-Pacific Workshop on Multilateral Cooperation in Space Technology and Applications (AP-MCSTA) was held in Beijing. The participants from 16 Asia-Pacific countries unanimously agreed on promoting the multilateral cooperation in space technology and its applications in Asia-Pacific Region, and establishing consequently the APSCO. As an inter-governmental organization, it aims to peacefully explore and exploit space science and technology and their applications for promotion of sustainable socio-economic development by facilitating multilingual cooperation for human benefit of the Asia-pacific Region. Currently, it has eight member countries, China, Bangladesh, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan, Peru, Thailand and Turkey.
The Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization Education and Training Center in China, located at Beihang, was founded on July 26, 2013. So far, the Center has trained 260 postgraduate students and 60 doctoral students, in the filed of space technology and its applications, for the members of APSCO and other developing countries. It has organized more than 30 short-term training courses on space technology and its applications for more than 1,500 students.
Reported by Cui Yizhuo
Reviewed by Weng Jingnong
Edited by Jia Aiping and Lyu Xingyun
Translated by Lyu Xingyun
