From 8th to 13th August, 2016, International Workshop on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), jointly organized by the African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in English (ARCSSTE-E), Regional Centre for Space and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (China) (affiliated to the United Nations) (RCSSTEAP) and Beihang University, was successfully held at Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. Mr. Weng Jingnong, Executive Director of RCSSTEAP, Dean of International School, Mr. Yang Dongkai, professor of School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Mr. Qin Honglei, professor of School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Mr. Wu Falin, professor of School of Instrumentation Science and Opto-electronics Engineering, Ms. Wang Xin from School of Mechanical Engineering & Automation and Ms. Liu Xu from International School attended the workshop as Chinese delegation.
10 scholars and experts in relevant fields from Nigeria and China were invited to give lectures to more than 100 participants from Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon, Sudan and Libya. 5 Chinese lecturers were from Beihang University and Civil Aviation University of China. The participants were composed of students in relevant majors, young scholars and engineers in global navigation satellite system. This workshop, focusing on application of BeiDou Satellite Navigation System and satellite navigation system in various fields, aimed at strengthening the capacity of GNSS technology and academia. It provided networking opportunities and promoted cooperation in satellite navigation technology among the member states.
Experts
During the workshop, representatives of Beihang University paid a visit to Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University Anthony Elujoba. Anthony Elujoba expressed his warm welcome to Chinese delegation and congratulated on the success of the international workshop.
On August 10th, representatives of ARCSSTE-E and RCSSTEAP discussed education and training cooperation seriously. Mr. Ganiy F. Agbaje, Executive Director of ARCSSTE-E and Mr. Weng Jingnong, Executive Director of RCSSTEAP introduced the two Centres and their training programs respectively. Chinese delegation then visited ARCSSTE-E and Obafemi Awolowo University.
In order to make space technology benefit more countries, the United Nations started space application program in 1971. Since 1995, according to A/AC105/534 by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), UN-Regional Centres for space science and technology education were established in Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
ARCSSTE-E is organized by Nigerian Space Agency. The Campus of the Centre is located at Obafemi Awolowo University. Obafemi Awolowo University, covering 11.861 square kilometers, is one of the best universities in Nigeria. It has an enrollment of 26,000 students, including 20,000 undergraduates and 6,000 postgraduates. Obafemi Awolowo University has 13 faculties and 2 colleges and covers a wide range of disciplines like humanities, art, natural sciences, social sciences, medicine and engineering.
This cooperation between ARCSSTE-E and RCSSTEAP, highly appraised and supported by UNOOSA, set a model of exchanges for other UN-Regional Centres. It also further advanced “UN Space Application Programme” as well as pushed Chinese technologies, methodologies and education to the world.
