On the morning of February 4, 2024, amid the Lunar New Year festive season, the 1st Council Meeting and Unveiling Ceremony of the Institute of International Civil Aviation (IICA) of Shanghai Jiao Tong University‑COMAC took place at Wenbo Building on the Minhang Campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. More than 50 participants attended the event, including leading officials from superior authorities such as the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization; heads of civil aviation universities including Civil Aviation University of China, Civil Aviation Flight University of China and China Civil Aviation Management Institute; as well as administrators from COMAC and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The meeting was presided over by Xi Lifeng, Executive Vice‑President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Ding Kuiling, President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, delivered a welcome address. He noted that under national strategies to build a stronger country in education, transportation and manufacturing, the joint establishment of IICA with COMAC aims to build a high‑end international civil‑aviation cooperation and exchange platform featuring “Innovation, Openness, Cooperation and Sharing”, and strive to develop IICA into a world‑class institute of international civil aviation.

Hu Shiqiang, Executive Deputy Dean of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, briefed participating leaders on the research investigations and preparatory work conducted by the IICA working group over the past year‑plus.

Tang Yanhua, Executive Vice‑President of COMAC University (COMAC Party School), read out the Institute’s working charter and the name list of members of the First Council.

Liu Fang, former Secretary‑General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); Tang Wenkan, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization; He Dongfeng, Chairman of COMAC; Zhou Xinmin, President of COMAC; Wu Yongliang, Deputy General Manager of COMAC; Ding Kuiling, President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Xi Lifeng, Executive Vice‑President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; and Zhang Zhaoguo, Vice‑President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, jointly unveiled the plaque for the Institute of International Civil Aviation.

In her speech, Liu Fang, former Member of the Party Leadership Group of the Civil Aviation Administration of China and former Secretary‑General of ICAO, pointed out that at a time when China gives equal priority to both aviation manufacturing and air transport industries and low‑altitude economy is listed among national strategically‑supported industries, the joint founding of the Institute by COMAC and SJTU is well‑timed and holds great promise.

He Dongfeng, Chairman of COMAC, stated in his remarks that after 15 years of persistent efforts, China‑built commercial aircraft have entered a new phase of large‑scale operation and global expansion. The Institute of International Civil Aviation shall pool strengths across the whole civil‑aviation industrial and innovation chains, advance deeper integration between China’s civil aircraft manufacturing sector and civil aviation transport industry, and accelerate the global outreach of home‑grown commercial aircraft.

Author: School of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Source: News Center

Editor: Members of the “Four‑Strengths” Journalist Development Programme