Hosted by the CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence on Space Technology for Disaster Mitigation (SDIM), in partnership with the International Cooperation Office and the Students Affairs Office, the first overseas students symposium of RADI was held at the New Technology Facility campus of RADI on January 2 with an attendance of 10 students and visiting scholars from the countries including Pakistan, Egypt, Benin and the Netherlands.

After visiting RADI’s research and operating facilities like Digital Earth platform demonstration system and the satellite remote sensing data receiving & processing system, the students paid a visit to the workplace of RADI’s four international S&T cooperation platforms including the International Society for Digital Earth and its Editorial Office, the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritages (HIST), the International Programme Office of Integrated Research on Disaster Risks (IRDR IPO), and SDIM.

After the visit, LIU Jie, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Office gave the students an overview of RADI and its scientific research, operation and international cooperation. Then, SDIM Executive Deputy Director CHEN Fang informed the students of the recent work and operation of SDIM, including education of students from developing countries and the first international training workshop on space technology for disaster mitigation held at RADI Sanya Campus in November 2013. At the symposium the overseas students talked about their future work and study, and put forward their suggestions on how RADI could further improve the education of overseas students.

The symposium aimed to help overseas students keep informed of the latest initiatives of CAS and TWAS for capacity building in space technology for disaster mitigation. Through face-to-face communication, the needs of the overseas students can be better understood, which will serve as a basis for improving student services and management. Based on an understanding of the research directions of the students in their home countries, RADI will open up a channel for future international cooperation, especially cooperation with developing countries.

With the support of CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship Program launched in 2013, a growing number of students from developing countries come to study or work at the CAS institutes including RADI.

Among the CAS-TWAS centers, SDIM is dedicated to helping the developing countries enhance their disaster mitigation capabilities by taking advantage of space technology. Hosted by RADI, SDIM is formally established in 2013, with a goal to conduct much-needed research on disaster mitigation through advanced space technologies, and provide knowledge transfer in developing countries through joint research, education, training, workshop and advisory services.

Group photo.