On December 13, the International Association of Aviation and Aerospace Education (ALICANTO), initiated by Beihang University; McGill University; Ecole Nationale de l'Aviation Civile (ENAC); the Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation; and the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg; was launched at the second ICAO Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Global Summit. Dr. Liu Fang, the Secretary General of ICAO, attended the signing ceremony of ALICANTO.
Over 30 of the world’s prominent aviation and aeronautical universities in China, the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, South Africa, Turkey, and Singapore signed a statement in support of the establishment of ALICANTO. The launch of ALICANTO is further supported by the Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics (CSAA), the Aerospace College Alliance of Sino-universities (ARCAS), the Partnership of a European Group of Aeronautics and Space Universities (PEGASUS), the Romanian Aeronautical Association/European Aviation Institute. and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Turkey. Beihang Vice President Professor Huang Haijun signed the statement on behalf of Beihang University. Professor Wen Dongsheng, Dean of the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, signed on behalf of ARCAS.
As a global advocate for aviation education, ALICANTO aims to attract, educate, and retain the next generation of aviation professionals. It will become a platform for collaborations among governments, industry, and universities to play a vital role in promoting sustainable development of the global aviation industry.
