CAST Newsletter No.52

On March 17, 2025, the African Engineering Capacity-Building Initiative was officially launched in Nairobi with the joint support of CAST and the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO). The event brought nearly 200 representatives from the global engineering community together.

In his address at the ceremony, CAST Executive President He Junke emphasized the importance of joint efforts between China and Africa amid the dual trends of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the green transition. “Enhancing engineering capacity is essential for achieving modernization in both China and Africa,” he said. “CAST is committed to being a long-term partner and steadfast supporter of the initiative. We hope it will contribute to cultivating engineering talent, addressing shared challenges, and strengthening people-to-people bonds. Our aspiration is that this program becomes a flagship example of open cooperation and mutual benefits and helps build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.”

WFEO President Mustafa Shehu expressed appreciation for CAST’s support. He noted that progress toward the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in Africa had been relatively slow. He mentioned that the African Engineering Capacity-Building Initiative, part of the UN’s International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD), aimed to bridge the technological divide between nations and promote localized solutions for development. He expressed a desire for broad support from all stakeholders.

At the ceremony, CAST and WFEO signed a Memorandum of Intent to formalize cooperation on the initiative. The China Society of Engineers (CSE) also signed separate Memorandums of Understanding with the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) and the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK).

On March 21, 2025, Luo Hui, Director-General of the CAST Department of International Affairs, met Sir Keith Burnett, President of the UK’s Institute of Physics (IOP) and Fellow of the Royal Society (RS), in Beijing alongside his delegation visiting China. The two sides reached consensus on strengthening international exchange and cooperation in scientific research between China and the United Kingdom.

Both parties expressed a commitment to creating more opportunities for international exchange among young scientists from both countries, with a focus on supporting and nurturing early-career researchers to foster the next generation of scientific talent. They also agreed to deepen cooperation in academic publishing, particularly through editorial training and exchange programs between Chinese and British physics journals. In addition, the two sides committed to building collaborative platforms in emerging fields such as low-carbon technologies and AI ethics, aiming to promote international research cooperation and explore innovative solutions to global challenges.

On March 27, 2025, Luo Hui, Director-General of the CAST Department of International Affairs, met in Beijing with László Bódis, Deputy State Secretary for Innovation at Hungary’s Ministry of Culture and Innovation, and his delegation during their visit to China.

Both sides recognized that China and Hungary attach great importance to scientific and technological innovation and talent development, presenting significant opportunities for bilateral cooperation. Looking ahead, they expressed a shared intention to establish an academic exchange network focused on nurturing young scientific and technological talent and encouraging greater dialogue and collaboration among early-career scientists in both countries. They also pledged to jointly promote the mutual recognition of engineering qualifications and the development of capacity-building programs, with the goal of helping more young engineers and technical professionals from China and Hungary enter key industries such as new energy vehicles and bio-technology. In addition, the two sides agreed to deepen collaboration in science communication and scientific culture by organizing traveling science exhibitions and scientist-themed displays, aiming to spark greater interest in science among young people.

For detailed information, please click here to download CAST Newsletter No. 52.

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