From November 2 to 3, the 22nd Conference on International Exchange of Professionals and the 2024 University Partners Summit were held successively in Shanghai and Hangzhou. Beihang President Wang Yunpeng, along with leaders, experts, and scholars from 57 universities in 31 countries and regions attended the events.
On November 2, the 22nd Conference on International Exchange of Professionals opened at the Zhangjiang Science Hall in Shanghai, with State Councilor Shen Yiqin in attendance. Shen emphasized the importance of implementing more open and effective talent policies to promote international talent exchange.Beihang President Wang Yunpeng and Vice President Zhao Weisheng alsoattendedthe conference.
During the conference, Beihang University signed Framework Agreement for Talent Exchange and Scientific-Educational Cooperation with École supérieure de physique et de chimie industrielles de la Ville de Paris (ESPCI Paris) of Université PSL in France, formally establishing a partnership with the university.
As one of the hosts for the 22nd Conference on International Exchange of Professionals, Beihang University held its sub-forum and the 2024 University Partners Summit on November 3 at Hangzhou International Campus.
Before the summit on the afternoon of November 2, Wang Yunpeng met with several university leaders and international experts, including Ahmed Alraeesi, President of United Arab Emirates University, Ndanduleni Bernard Nthambeleni, President of the University of Vendain South Africa, Enrique Sosa, President of Aeronautical University of Queretaro in Mexico, Carlos Guedes Soares, Professor at the University of Lisbon and Fellow of the Portuguese Academy of Engineering, and Zhuge Yan, Professor at the University of South Australia and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. Wang extended a warm welcome to all attendees, and exchanged views on Beihang’s latest development.
The opening ceremony of the sub-forum and the 2024 University Partners Summit was attended by Xu Chaofeng, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Xu Weihua, Deputy Mayor of Hangzhou Municipal People's Government of Zhejiang Province, Shu Peidong, Deputy Director General of the Education Department of Zhejiang Province,Li Juanjuan, Second-Level Inspector of the Department of Foreign Expert Services of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, Wang Yunpeng, President of Beihang University, Zhao Weisheng, Vice President of Beihang University, and Zhang Hailan, Former Vice President of Beihang University.
Themed “Constructing Sustainable International Partnerships Featuring Inclusiveness, Innovation and Collaboration,” the summit attracted nearly 80 experts and scholars from 31 countries and regions across five continents.
In his address, Wang Yunpeng extended warm welcome and sincere greetings to all participants. He noted that Beihang is committed to advancing collaboration with top universities and research institutions at home and abroad. The university has fostered a specific culture and spiritual characteristics of "inclusiveness, innovation and collaboration" as it deepens international exchanges and cooperation. He said all sides should join hands to create more cooperation opportunities and expand cooperation areas, jointly promoting the development of education, technology and people-to-people exchanges. He hoped the participants will take this summit as a platform to carry out in-depth discussions, contributing wisdom and strength to global education development and scientific and technological progress.
Xu Chaofeng extended congratulations on the summit’s opening on behalf of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. He stressed the importance of international cooperation for advancing technological innovation and industrial development, expressing hope for strengthened collaboration between Beihang and global academic and research institutions, with a focus on building platforms for international scientific and technological cooperation in key areas.
Shu Peidong noted that Beihang’s commitment to international exchange aligns well with Zhejiang’s vision for openness, inclusiveness, and collaboration in education. He hoped the two sides will further strengthen cooperation to build a distinctive platform that integrates international and local resources.
Xu Weihua highlighted Hangzhou’s recent initiatives to prioritize technological development and innovation. He expressed hope that Beihang would further leverage its strengths to deepen collaboration with Hangzhou, particularly in areas such as the development of high-level innovation platforms, industrial transformation and upgrading, and the application of technological achievements in low-altitude economy sectors.
The ceremony also featured the establishment of the Sino-French Laboratory for Mathematics, the International Talent Base for Intelligent Transport Innovation, and the International Education Center of Beihang University.
Beihang University also signed cooperation agreements with Boğaziçi University in Turkey, the University of Venda in South Africa, andAeronautical University of Queretaroin Mexico.
Following the opening ceremony, Zhao Weisheng from Beihang University, Ahmed Alraeesi from United Arab Emirates University, Ndanduleni Bernard Nthambeleni from the University of Venda, Yang Liwei from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Jose-Daniel Muñoz from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and Gürkan Kumbaroğlu from Boğaziçi University, delivered their keynote speeches respectively.
During the roundtable discussion, Alsnosy Mohamed Alsnosy Balbaa, Vice President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport in Egypt, Enrique Sosa, President ofAeronautical University of Queretaroin Mexico, João Amaro de Matos, Vice President of the New University of Lisbon in Portugal, Annie Colin, Vice President of École Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles (ESPCI) in France, and Margit Molnar, Head of the OECD China Desk and China Platform, engaged in discussions on the importance of global innovation, collaboration, and inclusive partnerships. The session was moderated by Professor Ping Shen, a part-time professor at Beihang’s International Education Center and President of the IEEE Photonics Society.
During the summit, seven workshops and a bilateral meeting were held simultaneously, with topics covering green energy in international aviation, global governance and multi-dimensional regional studies, advances in mathematics, transportation infrastructure and information technology, soft matter and renewable energy, and medical engineering and engineering medicine.
During his stay in Hangzhou, Wang Yunpeng also held discussions with distinguished experts and high-level talent. Attendees included Zhao Weisheng, Zhang Hailan, Chen Yingchun, Chief Scientist of the China Commercial Aircraft Corporation-Beihang Large Aircraft Research Institute (Hangzhou) and Former Chief Designer of the C919 and C929 projects, Ping Shen, Part-time Professor at Beihang’s International Education Center and President of IEEE Photonics Society, Zhao Yunpeng, head of thecross-disciplinary research team in aerospace software ofTianmu Mountain Laboratory, and Shijun Guo, Professor at Cranfield University in the UK. They shared insights on innovation and technology transfer within their respective research fields, as well as experiences in cultivating international talent. During the meeting, Wang Yunpeng presented letters of appointment to Chen Yingchun, Ping Shen, and Zhao Yunpeng.
