From February 11 to 22, 2019, the 56th Session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) was held in Vienna, Austria. Mr. Weng Jingnong, Executive Director of the Centre and Dean of International School of Beihang University, attended the meeting as a member of the Chinese delegation.

The Chinese representatives introduced the outstanding work results that the Centre had achieved in 2018, and indicated that China supported actively “Programme on Space Applications” of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), hoping to contribute enthusiastically our strength in the fields like space education. Representatives of Russia, South Korea, Indonesia and other countries affirmed the positive role played by “Programme on Space Applications” in helping the developing countries to promote space technology applications and capacity building, and looked forward to future cooperation with the Centre in the field of education and research.

On February 20, a work meeting of the Regional Centres organized by UNOOSA was held to discuss the issues related to Alliance of Regional Centres (Affiliated to the United Nations) (ARC) such as the establishment, agreements and operation. Mr. Shirish Ravans, Director of UN-SPIDER, Mr. Ganiyu I. Agbaje, Director of ARCSSTE-E, Mr. Weng Jingnong, Executive Director of RCSSTEAP, Mr. Igor V. Belokonov, Professor of Samara University in Russia attended the meeting. The representatives from Samara University in Russia expressed that they supported actively the suggestion made by China to establish ARC, and hoped to sign a cooperation agreement with the Centre at Beihang University so as to learn from the Chinese experience in building the Regional Centre and facilitate the establishment of a new UN Regional Centre in Russia.