This September, Beihang University Hangzhou International Campus welcomed a new group of students from across the world. International students of the 2026 intake have recently started to arrive at the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (China) (RCSSTEAP). Coming from different countries and cultural backgrounds, they have gathered in Hangzhou with a shared interest in space science and technology, ready to begin a new chapter of study and exploration.
This year, RCSSTEAP welcomes international students from 19 countries across four continents—Asia, Africa, South America and North America. The 2026 intake comprises 60 international students in total. So far, 58 new students have arrived on campus, including 12 doctoral students and 46 master’s students. Two more students are expected to join them soon as they complete their visa procedures. Crossing different time zones, languages and cultures to arrive in Hangzhou, many of the students are beginning not only a new stage of academic study, but also an entirely new chapter of life. Their arrival brings fresh energy to RCSSTEAP. With diverse academic backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, the new students also bring new possibilities for learning, exchange and collaboration in the years ahead.
To help the new students settle into their studies and life in China, RCSSTEAP made preparations in advance and provided support with registration, accommodation, medical examinations, insurance, banking services, residence permits and other essential procedures upon their arrival. For many students visiting China and Hangzhou for the first time, everything is new—from arriving in the city and stepping onto campus to completing enrollment procedures and meeting their teachers and classmates. During the orientation programme, students were introduced to the academic programmes, teaching and research activities, student services, and practical aspects of studying and living in China. The sessions were designed to help them better understand the graduate programmes ahead, become familiar with the campus, and prepare for their new academic life. As it happened to be the Mid-Autumn Festival, RCSSTEAP celebrated by hosting an evening gala, bringing new students from different countries together. For many visiting China for the first time, it offered an opportunity to experience a traditional Chinese festival and make new friends. The gathering offered a warm welcome to students far from home and helped them get to know one another. With the orientation and registration process gradually completed, the new students are now settling into their surroundings and becoming familiar with the rhythm of study and everyday life on campus.
Completing registration is only the first step of the journey. The 2026 intake will soon enter classrooms and laboratories, beginning their graduate studies and research under the guidance of their supervisors and faculty members. From Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems, Global Navigation Satellite Systems and Micro-satellite Technology to Space Project Management, Space Law and Policy, Satellite Communications, and Space Science and Environment, students in different fields will deepen their knowledge and explore their research interests through coursework, research and practical activities. Learning will also extend beyond the classroom. Academic lectures, exchange activities, study visits and practical experiences will form an important part of their time at RCSSTEAP. New knowledge, new research topics and new partnerships will gradually become part of their everyday academic life. As they study and live together, students from 19 countries will grow from new classmates into partners who attend classes, discuss ideas, conduct research and participate in activities together. Their different experiences and perspectives will bring new insights to one another and add even more possibilities to their years in Hangzhou.
Coming from different parts of the world and brought together by a shared interest in space science and technology, the 2026 intake is beginning a new journey in Hangzhou. In the years ahead, the campus will become a new home for their studies, research and everyday life. From their first steps onto campus to their first classes and laboratory sessions, from meeting new teachers and classmates to gradually finding their own research directions, their graduate journey is now beginning to unfold. A new semester has begun, and so has a new story. Welcome to RCSSTEAP, new students of 2026! May your years in Hangzhou be filled with knowledge, friendship and growth, and may you continue exploring the possibilities of space science and technology as you write an exciting new chapter in your academic journey.
