Visit UNESCO
Visit EPF Engineering School
Visit AGH University of Krakow
Visit UNDRR
From July 2 to 10, Vice President Bian Zhengfu led a delegation to visit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), EPF Engineering School in France, AGH University of Krakow in Poland, where they participated in the 52nd Presidium Meeting of the International Society for Mine Surveying (ISM), and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) in Switzerland. The visit aimed to promote cooperation between the university and these institutions in education, scientific research, and other fields.
During the visit to France, the delegation met with Hu Shaofeng, Director General of the Division of Science Policy and Basic Sciences, and Amal Ksiri from the Section of Basic Sciences and Engineering at UNESCO's Natural Sciences Sector. Hu Shaofeng extended a warm welcome and introduced UNESCO's organizational structure and key initiatives, including the United Nations Decade of Science for Sustainable Development (2024-2033), Open Science Project, Remote Access to Equipment, and International Engineering Entrepreneurship Training Camp. Bian Zhengfu provided a detailed overview of the university's development history, achievements, international cooperation, and platform development efforts. He had in-depth discussions with UNESCO’s representatives on enhancing collaboration between CUMT and UNESCO through initiateives such as ISM, the International Higher Education Alliance for Mining, Energy and Environment, and the university as a flagship university of the UNESCO Center for Mining-Engineering Education. Both parties agreed to cooperate in curriculum development, faculty training, and scientific research to address global challenges such as climate change and energy resources. Following the meeting, the delegation called on Yang Xinyu, China's Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. At EPF Engineering School, Bian Zhengfu held in-depth discussions with Deputy Director Jean-Christophe Quinsac on deepening inter-university cooperation and joint student training, and the two sides signed a student exchange program agreement.
In Poland, the delegation participated in the 52nd ISM Presidium Meeting at AGH University of Krakow, which reviewed the minutes of the previous meeting, heard reports from various committees and member countries, and nominated and confirmed new committee members and leaders. During the concurrent International Science Forum, Bian Zhengfu and others delivered reports on "Key Technologies for Pumped Storage in Abandoned Mines," "Development and Prospects of Digital Mine Surveying Technology," and "Progress of the ISM Coordination Office."
In Switzerland, the delegation met with Ms Loretta Girardet, chief of Risk Knowledge, Monitoring and Capacity Development of UNDRR. They engaged in in-depth exchanges on strengthening cooperation with UNDRR in disaster prevention and mitigation. Bian Zhengfu introduced the university's profile, research foundation, disciplinary strengths, and case studies in the fields of remote sensing, coal mine disasters, smart cities, and natural disaster early warning systems. He expressed the university's desire to leverage its strengths in these field to enhance collaboration with UNDRR. Girardet warmly welcomed the delegation, noting CUMT's remarkable achievements in disaster prevention and mitigation education and research. As the UN system's lead agency for coordinating disaster risk reduction, UNDRR aims to provide technical information and data support to national and local governments. She expressed expectation for collaborating with CUMT to utilize advanced technologies like artificial intelligence to enhance human resilience to natural disasters and reduce disaster risks and losses. During the meeting, both sides reached preliminary consensus on jointly developing AI tools, creating disaster monitoring and mitigation case studies, and co-hosting international conferences on disaster prevention and mitigation.
Relevant heads from the International Office and faculty members from the School of Environment and Spatial Informatics accompanied the visit.
