On June 14, Beihang University was visited by Mykola Nechyporuk, Rector of National Aerospace University, and Dmytro Dolmatov, an aeroengine expert. President Xu Huibin warmly received the guests, and their meeting was also joined by representatives from International Division, the School of Energy and Power Engineering and the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering of Beihang University, as well as Artem Rozhdestvensky, First Secretary of the Section of Economic Affairs of the Embassy of Ukraine to China.
President Xu extended his welcome to Mr. Nechyporuk, who paid this visit as soon as he took the position of Rector. According to Mr. Xu, National Aerospace University is Beihang’s most important partner in Ukraine, and the two sides should value and develop this long-standing friendship with continuous efforts. He hoped that the visit could serve as an opportunity to establish a joint research center in fields which both universities are good at, such as aeroengine. The center would be the basis of joint applications for research projects under international cooperation, exchange of teachers and joint student cultivation programs. It was his expectation that the high-level achievements made collaboratively by the two sides would contribute to the strategic partnership between China and Ukraine.
With deep affection, Mr. Nechyporuk reviewed the history of cooperation between the two universities since 1950s. Noting the bright prospects for their cooperation in the field of aerospace, he hoped that the two sides could discuss the cooperation mechanisms of talent cultivation and scientific research and bring up a plan to implement them. These efforts would enrich the content of China-Ukraine cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Mr. Nechyporuk also brought a gift: a replicate of the banner that Beihang presented to National Aerospace University in 1956 in gratitude for its assistance in the establishment of Beihang University.
Mr. Nechyporuk presented the replicate of the 1956 banner
After the meeting, the delegation from National Aerospace University visited Beijing Air and Space Museum.
Founded in 1930, National Aerospace University (previously known as Kharkiv Aviation Institute, or KhAI) is famous for its achievement of designing and building the first airliner with retractable landing gear in Europe (also the second in the world). During its 88-year history, it has cultivated over 80,000 engineers, and 80% of Ukrainian aerospace experts who received higher education graduated from the university. At present, it has more than 9,000 students.
In the early days of Beihang University (known as the Beijing Institute of Aeronautics back then), Kharkiv Aviation Institute selected four experts to assist in its establishment. In the last ten years, 45 students from National Aerospace University has come to Beihang to pursue their Master’s or Doctor’s degrees under the support of Chinese Government Scholarships, and 14 students have participated in short-term academic exchanges held by Beihang, such as International Summer School for undergraduates and International Aerospace Summer School for graduates.
Reported by Wang Lingpei
Translated by Li Mingzhu
