On November 17, 2025, a senior delegation from Airbus visited the SPEIT. The two sides held a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony and jointly inaugurated the “SPEIT–Airbus Joint Training Base for Excellence in Engineering”.
The Airbus delegation included Philippe PEZET, Senior Vice President for International Human Resources, and Ning Fei, Vice President of Human Resources and Workplace for Airbus China. SJTU Executive Vice President XU Lifeng, Ma Wei from the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, SPEIT Chinese Dean CHEN Cailian, French Dean Zied MOUMNI, Vice Dean ZHONG Shengyi, program coordinator WEI Guanghua, and assistant deans WANG Shaobo and SUN Chenye attended the meeting and ceremony. The event was chaired by Vice Dean Zhong.
During the meeting, Executive Vice President XU Lifeng warmly welcomed the Airbus delegation. He noted that SJTU has long been committed to strengthening university–industry collaboration and working with leading global enterprises on talent development. The signing of the MoU and establishment of the joint training base mark a concrete step toward deeper cooperation, providing strong support for engineering education and the development of the aviation industry.
He emphasized that the partnership will offer SPEIT students industry-aligned training opportunities and broader career pathways. He expressed hope that the two sides would continue to deepen cooperation in joint training, practice-oriented learning, and youth talent development, ultimately building a benchmark model for university–industry collaborative education.
Philippe PEZET remarked that SJTU is among the strongest engineering education institutions in China and globally. He added that SPEIT is a prime example of high-level Sino-French collaboration and that its integrated engineering education model aligns closely with Airbus’s talent strategy. The collaboration is also an important expansion of the Airbus China Campus Program (ACCP) network.
In the presence of both delegations, Ning Fei and Zied MOUMNI formally signed the MoU. Subsequently, XU Lifeng and Philippe PEZET unveiled the plaque for the “SPEIT–Airbus Joint Training Base for Excellence in Engineering.”
According to the agreement, both sides will advance the joint training framework under the ACCP initiative by: Developing co-designed courses, thematic seminars, and case-based teaching aligned with industry demand; Introducing industry mentors and integrating enterprise expertise into the curriculum; Strengthening practical training and career development, including internship placements and innovation projects; Launching collaborative research initiatives in aviation technologies, intelligent manufacturing, green aviation, and digital transformation; Enhancing students’ global competencies, particularly in cross-cultural communication, understanding of international norms, and global-industry awareness. Together, the two sides will build a complete, practice-oriented pipeline—from coursework to projects, from internships to career pathways—closely connected to the frontiers of the aviation industry.
This partnership builds on a series of earlier exchanges. In June 2024, the Airbus China talent development team first visited SPEIT for in-depth discussions on talent needs and co-training models. In July 2024, SPEIT’s management team and student representatives visited Airbus China to further clarify the cooperation agenda.
University-industry collaboration is a longstanding component of French engineering education and has become part of SPEIT’s institutional DNA. Since its founding in 2012, SPEIT has worked closely with companies such as Safran and Valeo through its Enterprise Club. Corporate members participate in key decision-making, co-develop courses, and offer internships and scholarships, allowing the training system to remain highly aligned with industry needs.
With Airbus joining the network, the academy’s industry ecosystem in aerospace is further strengthened, providing students with richer technical depth and more globally oriented development pathways.
At noon, the Airbus delegation met SPEIT students over lunch, exchanging views on academic life and career planning. The students’ combined background in engineering and French, along with their broad perspectives, left a strong impression on the delegation.
Later, Philippe PEZET delivered a keynote titled “Shaping the Future of Aviation: Global Talent Strategy and Career Development at Airbus in the Age of AI.” The talk attracted students from across the university.
Looking ahead, SPEIT will continue to expand collaborations with global leading enterprises, build more joint training bases, and create innovation platforms in key strategic fields. The academy welcomes more industry partners to join in cultivating the next generation of competitive engineering talent capable of contributing to both China’s engineering education modernization and the evolution of global industries.