From June 20 to 23, President Wang Yunpeng led a delegation to Paris, France, to attend the Sino-French Education Development Forum and scientific, educational and cultural exchange activities. Also in the delegation were heads of relevant schools and institutes including the School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Sino-French Engineer School, School of Mathematical Sciences, and Hangzhou Innovation Institute.
During the visit to France, the Forum on Digital Economy, Industrial Transformation and Engineering Education jointly organized by Beihang University and Groupe des Écoles Centrales was held at Lycée Louis le Grand in Paris, France. Huai Jinpeng, Minister of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chen Jie, Vice Minister of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Romain Soubeyran, President of the Groupe des Écoles Centrales, and more than 80 representatives from educational administrative departments, universities, research institutes and well-known companies in both China and France attended the forum. Huai Jinpeng and Albert Fert, Professor of the Université Paris-Saclay and winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physics, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony of the forum. President Wang Yunpeng addressed the forum on behalf of the co-organizers and presided over the keynote report session.
At the Forum on Digital Economy, Industrial Transformation and Engineering Education
At the forum, nine universities from China and France, including Beihang University, Tongji University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Groupe des Écoles Centrales, École de Chaillot, Université Paris Cité, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, and Ecole supérieure d'ingénieurs en génie électrique, signed a series of international cooperation agreements. Wang Yunpeng signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of a carbon neutrality research center with Groupe des Écoles Centrales on behalf of Beihang University. Huai Jinpeng and Albert Fert witnessed the signing ceremony together.
Beihang signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Groupe des Écoles Centrales
A group photo of some of the participants
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the strategic cooperation between Beihang University and Groupe des Écoles Centrales, the two sides also held a symposium for the presidents of Chinese and French universities. Huai Jinpeng, Chen Jie, Chen Li, Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in France, Yang Dan, Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of China’s Ministry of Education, Xu Qingsen, Director of the Department of Social Sciences of China’s Ministry of Education, and Sheng Jianxue, Secretary-General of the China Scholarship Council, attended the symposium. The event was also attended by nearly 40 presidents, experts and industry representatives from Chinese and French universities.
Huai Jinpeng and Romain Soubeyran delivered speeches in succession. In his speech, Huai Jinpeng said that China-France educational cooperation has a long history and fruitful results. In recent years, the cooperation between the two countries’ universities in the fields of education, science and technology, and talents has been comprehensively deepened, producing a number of high-level research results and cultivating a group of high-quality innovative talents. To address global challenges such as climate change and public health, it is hoped that the presidents of Chinese and French universities will implement the important consensus of the heads of state of the two countries, jointly promote talent cultivation and scientific research cooperation between the two sides, enhance the friendship between the two countries, and benefit all mankind with high-quality talents and high-quality scientific research results.
Romain Soubeyran delivered a speech on behalf of Groupe des Écoles Centrales. He said that on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the strategic cooperation between Groupe des Écoles Centrales and Beihang University and the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China, celebrating the friendship between the two countries has special significance. The establishment of the Sino-French Engineer School is a model of the integration of the educational models of France and China. It is hoped that both sides will give full play to the role of the Sino-French Engineer School as a key platform, further promote the in-depth cooperation between the two sides in scientific and educational cooperation and cultural exchanges, and better cement the friendship between France and China.
Wang Yunpeng pointed out that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the cooperation between Beihang University and Groupe des Écoles Centrales. Over the past 20 years, the two sides have had in-depth cooperation in talent cultivation, faculty construction, scientific research and other aspects, and have achieved a number of results. Looking to the future, Beihang University will comprehensively deepen its cooperation with Groupe des Écoles Centrales, further promote Sino-French scientific and educational cooperation and cultural exchanges, and explore a new education model for cultivating excellent engineers featuring deep integration of Chinese education paradigm and French education paradigm.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France. In order to implement the cooperation consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and President Macron, the two countries’ ministries of education co-organized the 2024 Sino-French Education Development Forum in Paris. The delegation attended the forum and participated in activities jointly held by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Embassy in France, and the Chinese Mission to the European Union, and witnessed a series of important achievements in Sino-French education cooperation. During the visit, Wang Yunpeng had a close exchange with Sylvie Retailleau, Minister of Higher Education and Research of France. Both sides expressed their willingness to further expand dialogue and cooperation in the field of higher education.
A group photo at the Sino-French Education Development Forum
During the forum, the delegation attended the Achievement Exhibition of Sino-French Centennial Education Exchanges and Cooperation. Wang Yunpeng introduced the achievements of Beihang University’s education collaboration with France. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former French Prime Minister and Honorary Doctor of Beihang University, Huai Jinpeng, Chen Jie, Lu Shaye, Chinese Ambassador to France, and Yang Xinyu, Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of China to UNESCO, attended the event.
Wang Yunpeng introducing the achievements of cooperation between Beihang and France to the representatives
During their stay in France, the delegation also visited ESTACA and Lycée Louis le Grand. At ESTACA, the delegation paid a visit to the UAV and smart city laboratory. Wang Yunpeng met with ESTACA Managing Director Jean-Michel Durepaire. The two sides exchanged views on establishing a joint laboratory, carrying out a dual-degree doctoral program, and holding student innovation competitions, and reached a number of practical results. On behalf of Beihang, Wang Yunpeng formally signed a Framework Agreement for the joint supervision of doctoral theses with Jean-Michel Durepaire. At Lycée Louis le Grand, Wang Yunpeng had a friendly exchange with the president Joël Bianco. The two sides had an in-depth discussion on further expanding joint talent training, teacher-student exchanges, and preparatory education.
The signing ceremony of Framework Agreement for the joint supervision of doctoral theses between Beihang and ESTACA
Visiting the UAV and smart city laboratory at ESTACA
Wang Yunpeng meeting with JoëlBianco, President of Lycée Louis le Grand
This visit was a journey characterized by friendship and exploration on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France and the 20th anniversary of the cooperation between Beihang University and Groupe des Écoles Centrales. It is a crucial step to implement the spirit of the important meeting between the two heads of state, deepen Beihang’s UPS international development layout, and expand scientific and educational cooperation and cultural exchanges with France. It is of great significance to consolidate the university’s partnership with French universities and scientific research institutions and enhance its international influence.
Written by: Fan Hang
Reviewed by: Weng Jingnong
Edited by: Jia Aiping
Translated by: Lu Meili
