The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) has celebrated the fifth anniversary of its center for space science and technology education in China.

The office has welcomed China's support for the UN-affiliated institution, saying the country has forged partnerships that have benefited scholars in the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world.

"It does reflect much collaboration with the government of China, with different agencies. There's a lot of collaborations not only in Asia-Pacific but also worldwide," said Luc St-Pierre, senior program officer for the UNOOSA, adding, "It reflects an openness to share knowledge, experiences and facilities that is unique, so we very much appreciate that."

The Regional Center for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (China), opened five years ago in Beijing's Beihang University, an institution at the forefront of space science education in China.

Xu Huibin, president of the university, said the school has aimed to build the center into a global platform for space science academic exchange. So far, it has attracted hundreds of international students from 24 countries and provided over 300 scholarships.

Brazilian student Leticia Barros is one of those who enrolled in a master program in micro-satellite technology a year ago.

"Beihang is a big university for aerospace engineering, not only in China but also in the world. I've seen articles from Beihang before coming to China when I was doing research. I was like, okay, now I have the chance to go there. I'm glad I came," said Barros smiling.

The center has also partnered with institutions across the region. Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Administration, said cooperation of such kind will continue for the benefit of mankind.

"China will further open up to co-develop with other regional centers and promote space technology in the Asia-Pacific for more win-win results," said the deputy director.

The UNOOSA plans to further collaborate with China in space science and technology education, and it expects the country to show more leadership in cultivating international talent for the future.