During June 12th to 14th, Mr. Huang Haijun, Vice President of Beihang University, and Mr. Weng Jingnong, Deputy Director of the Centre and Dean of International School, Beihang University, Ms. Guo Yuanyuan, Program Manager of the Centre, and Ms. Wang Xin, Director of Brand Designer of the Centre, attended the 60^th Session of UNCOPUOS as members of Chinese Government Delegation.

At the meeting, Mr. Weng Jingnong delivered a report on Progress and Plan of the UN Regional Centre in China (RCSSTEAP) based on the topic of the development of UN Regional Centre, sharing his thoughts and suggestions on UN Space Application Programme on behalf of RCSSTEAP (China).

During June 13th to 14th, RCSSTEAP (China) and the Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) hosted the director conference of UN Regional Centres. Directors and other representatives from six (6) Regional Centres and directors of UNOOSA Space Applications Project, more than twenty (20) people in total, attended the conference. Madam Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of UNOOSA, and Mr. Huang Haijun, Vice President of Beihang University attended the opening ceremony of the conference and addressed speeches on behalf of the organizers respectively. It was agreed to form an Alliance of Regional Centres (potential acronym ARC) proposed by RCSSTEAP (China) to promote combined efforts of Regional Centres and to build synergies for mutual benefits. Through voting, all participants of the conference unanimously nominated Mr. Weng Jingnong, Deputy Director of RCSSTEAP (China), as the first President of ARC. The Secretariat of the alliance will be established at RCSSTEAP (China). Alliance of Regional Centres (ARC) was initiated by RCSSTEAP (China), went through more than one year’s preparation and discussion, and got strong support from UNOOSA and positive responses from other Regional Centres. The establishment of ARC will further promote exchange and cooperation among the Regional Centres, and better cohesive Regional Centres to achieve more development on UN Space Application Programme. 

Representatives from Sri Lanka and many other countries made their statements at the conference, and expressed their support for the establishment of ARC.

United Union has established Programme on Space Application since 1982, which proposes each country’s space technology applications for peaceful use and benefits all humankind. In order to promote this programme, UNOOSA decided to establish Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education in every region of the world. Since the first establishment of the Regional Centre in India in 1995, UN has already built up six (6) Regional Centres in India, Nigeria, Morocco, Brazil and Mexico (joint centre), and China respectively. Regional Centres are instituted director responsibility system and leaded by the governing board. The administrator of each country’s national space agent is generally appointed as the chairpersons of each Regional Centre.

RCSSTEAP (China) was established on November 17th, 2014 in Beihang University under the approval of the State Council. The Administrator of China National Space Administration (CNSA) was appointed as the chairperson while the President of Beihang University was appointed as the Director of the Advisory Committee. At present, RCSSTEAP (China) has ten (10) member states including Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Peru and Venezuela.