Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (China) (Affiliated to the United Nations) (RCSSTEAP for short) was establishedinNovember 2014. The Centre is locatedonthe main campus of Beihang University, Beijing, China. The Centre, as an education and training entity supported by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), seeks to contribute to the implementation of“Programme onSpace Applications”promoted by COPUOS and to the enhancement of the education and training level as well as application capacity of space science and technology intheMember States of the Centre through capacity building, information communication, trainingprogrammes,etc.

Since its establishment, the Centre has adhered to the concept of “Down to the Earth while Aiming High”, taken “Cultivating high-level, innovative and international talents in space technology applications” as its mission, persisted in the development strategy of “Openness, Innovation and Inclusiveness”, and made unremitting efforts to realize the vision of “Promoting the peaceful use of space technologiesfor the benefit of all mankind”.

The Director shall take responsibility for the Centre under the leadership of the Governing Board. Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MIIT) is the leading organization of the Centre, while China National Space Administration (CNSA) is its operational guiding organization, and Beihang University is its host organization. Since its establishment, the Centre has held five (5) Governing Board Meetings and three (3) Advisory Committee Meetings.

The main education and training fields of the Centre include Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (RS&GIS), Satellite Communications, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Micro-satellite Technology, Space Law and Policy, Space Science and Environment, Space Project Management, etc.As of September 2021, the Centre has trained three hundred and forty-five(319) MASTA&DOCSTA participants for twenty-seven (27) developing countries. Those participants, mainly recommended by Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO), RCSSTEAP Member States, space-related agencies and government departments, are the professionals or the backup talents in related fields in their home countries. While utilizing degree education resources, the Centre has actively expanded its cooperationandjointly organized short-term training programmes with other organizations. As of September 2023, the Centre has organized more than twenty (20) short training programmes withoveronethousand (1,000) participants from more than seventy (70) countries.

Relying on Beihang’s disciplinary advantages and internationalacademicexperience, the Centre recruits teachers globally. Since 2015, the Centre has invited a total of more than thirty (30) international experts and over one hundred and forty (140) domestic experts to give lectures to the participants, which were taught in English. The Centre has established extensive cooperation with space industries. A variety of internships and hands-on opportunities are provided to the participants.

Currently, there are ten member states for UN Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education, i.e. Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Peru, Venezuela. Providing services to the member states is one of the main objectives of the Centre.

The office of the Centre has established a basic database of all members of the Governing Board nominated by member states, and assigned one staff to keep in close contact with the members of the Governing Board (GB）of the Centre. The meeting documents have been sent to all members of GB by E-mail before the first regular meeting and then the feedbacks of the members to the meeting documents were tidied up. The Centre also booked air tickets and accommodation for the members so as to attend the meeting of GB and actively communicated with the members of GB to understand what the members need. The Secretary of GB dispatched the Minutes of the first meeting of GB and information feedback sheets to all members of GB in order to understand the demand of member states in the field of space science and technology education. The Centre will carry out its activities in accordance with the requirements and recommendation of the Chairperson and other members of GB.

In addition, with the support of Chinese government, the Centre will offer a certain amount scholarships for Master’s Degree and Doctoral Degree to the students from the member states each year. The Centre will offer at least three short training programmes on space technology application to the members states each year.

Beihang University (previously known as Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics) was founded on October 25, 1952 under the name of Beijing Institute of Aeronautics, originating from the merger of the aeronautical departments of Tsinghua University, Beiyang University, Xiamen University, Sichuan University, etc. Located in the center of the Zhongguancun Science Park and within easy reach of central Beijing, Beihang is the first university in China focusing on aeronautical and astronautical education and research. About 26km away from the main campus, the suburban Shahe campus provides quiet study milieu and is also home to the National Laboratory of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NLAA). The very new Doudian campus aims at research and innovation through engineering combined with medicine.

Since its founding, Beihang has excelled as one of the first 16 key universities in China, given priority for development. In 2017, Beihang was chosen to participate in the Double First-Class plan, which includes major support from the Chinese Ministry of Education and other government departments to build a world-class university with world-class disciplines. Over the past 68 years, Beihang has fostered more than 200,000 professionals in various sectors for the world. The main designers and chief engineers of China’s first manned space flight, Shengzhou-5 Spacecraft, are Beihang alumni. The university and its alumni have contributed the most to the country’s aeronautical, astronautical and other relative industries.

     Relying on Beihang’s disciplinary advantages and international academic experience, the Centre recruits teachers worldwide. Since 2015, the Centre has invited a total of more than thirty (30) international experts and over one hundred and forty (140) domestic experts to give lectures to the participants, which were taught in English. The Centre has established extensive cooperation with space industries. A variety of internships and hands-on opportunities are provided to the participants.

Beihang University will provide the New Centre with the necessary working space, facilities and personnel.

For more information about Beihang, please view from the website: http://www.buaa.edu.cn/