From 23 to 25 October 2026, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) hosted the 2026 "Air Silk Road" International Forum for Principals and Educators at its Jiangjunlu Campus. More than 20 principals, education leaders and NUAA alumni from countries including Nepal, Vietnam, Mongolia, Pakistan and Ghana attended, and NUAA signed cooperation agreements with five institutions.
The forum focused on "Aviation+" interdisciplinary talent: how schools and universities can prepare young people for careers that combine aviation, engineering, management and artificial intelligence. For students in the partner countries, the new agreements create a more direct route from their school or college to degree study at NUAA.
Key facts
Event: 2026 "Air Silk Road" International Forum for Principals and Educators, 23–25 October 2026, Jiangjunlu Campus, Nanjing.
Participants: more than 20 principals, administrators, education experts and international alumni from Belt and Road countries including Nepal, Vietnam, Mongolia, Pakistan and Ghana.
Agreements: memoranda of understanding with five institutions, including Mid-Valley International College in Nepal and a partner high school in Pokhara, Nepal.
New title: partner schools were named "NUAA Overseas Student Source Bases".
Cooperation areas: academic exchange, recommendation of outstanding students and joint education projects.
Programme: agreement signing, keynote lectures and international course training.
What happened at the forum
Opening the forum, Pan Shilong, Assistant to the President, said NUAA draws on its aerospace disciplines and its all-English bachelor's, master's and PhD education system to attract young people from around the world. He described the forum as an important step in building the Air Silk Road alliance.
Reetal Rana, Principal of Mid-Valley International College, spoke about higher education in Nepal and proposed exploring a "3+1" joint programme that balances training quality with the cost of study. Rupesh Regmi, a Nepali PhD graduate of NUAA's College of Economics and Management, shared his own study experience and alumni efforts to grow international partnerships. Speakers from Kathmandu University and Vietnam National University discussed academic exchange, joint research and artificial intelligence, and NUAA's Pakistani alumnus Dr Daniyal Ahmed, President of the Pakistan Alumni Association, spoke on more-electric aircraft.
NUAA experts also presented the university's strengths, including Huang Lingcai, described as chief designer of the AG600 amphibious aircraft, who spoke about its role in forest firefighting and maritime rescue, and Gao Yadong of the National Key Laboratory of Helicopter Dynamics, who spoke about helicopters and the low-altitude economy. Liu Changjiang, Dean of the College of International Education, closed the forum.
What this means for international students
Students at partner schools can expect closer links with NUAA, from school visits and recommendations to joint programmes. Whatever your school, you can explore NUAA's English-taught degree programmes; applications for the March 2027 intake are open on the official application portal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Air Silk Road forum at NUAA?
It is an international forum for school principals and educators hosted by NUAA. The 2026 edition, held on 23–25 October, brought more than 20 education leaders and alumni from countries such as Nepal, Vietnam, Mongolia, Pakistan and Ghana to discuss aviation-related education and partnerships.
Does NUAA have partner schools in Nepal?
Yes. At the 2026 forum NUAA signed agreements with five institutions, including Mid-Valley International College in Nepal and a high school in Pokhara, and named its partners "NUAA Overseas Student Source Bases" for academic exchange and student recommendation.
Does NUAA teach degrees in English?
Yes. According to NUAA, the university offers an all-English education system at bachelor's, master's and PhD level, especially in aerospace and related engineering, management and computing subjects.
Sources: NUAA News · NUAA College of International Education
