Shenzhou aerospace institute enrolls foreign students

China's aerospace institute for the first time enrolled foreign students, prompting a Chinese expert on Sunday to note the massive progress the nation has made in space technology.

Shenzhou College under China Academy of Space Technology held a ceremony to welcome its first eight foreign students on March 19, the first time China has admitted foreign students in the aerospace field, the People's Daily website reported Saturday.

The students come from Pakistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Venezuela and Cambodia. After two years' study and oral defense of their thesis, they will receive a Chinese master's degree in aerospace science, the report said.

"China's aerospace industry technology is comprehensive especially its satellites for navigation, communication and meteorology, a field in which China can and would like to help other countries cultivate talent," Jiao Weixin, a space science professor at Peking University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

To provide a better service for foreign students, the college customized courses that would fit individual student's needs, according to the people.com.cn report.

The foreign students' abstract must be written in both English and Chinese. They will also take courses such as Chinese language and an introduction to China.

The academy has cooperated for years on project Know-How To Transfer with Pakistan, Nigeria, Venezuela, Ethiopia and Algeria.

While cultivating talent in those countries, the academy has also improved its training system, teaching administration and comprehensive capabilities, people.com.cn reported.

"The enrollment of foreign students also proved that China's technology in the field has made huge progress during the past years," Jiao said. "China used to receive help from countries such as the former Soviet Union and now is able to help others, which is also good for China in building its international image."

A Long March-2D rocket was launched in February carrying the 730-kilogram China seismo-electromagnetic satellite known as Zhangheng-1.

In 2018, China will see 36 launches of the Long March rocket series, with missions to form a network for the domestic Beidou navigation satellites, the Xinhua News Agency reported.