On October 20, 2025, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) welcomed a distinguished delegation from the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) and the Digital Belt and Road (DBAR) program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The high-level meeting, led by AIT President Prof. Pai-chi Li and CBAS Secretary General Prof. YuBao Qiu, was convened to explore strategic collaboration on leveraging big data and space technology to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Asia-Pacific region. The Belt and Road Research Center (BRRC), represented by its Director Dr. Wenchao Xue, played a key role in facilitating the dialogue, underscoring its commitment to fostering Sino-Thai scientific cooperation.
The discussions centered on establishing a robust framework for partnership. Key areas of collaboration identified included joint research projects, faculty and student exchange programs, co-supervision of graduate students, and the organization of joint seminars and workshops. This partnership aims to synergize AIT’s regional expertise and educational mission with CBAS’s cutting-edge capabilities in big Earth data analysis and SDG monitoring, thereby significantly enhancing research capacity and generating data-driven insights for sustainable development across Southeast Asia.
This meeting marks a pivotal step in bridging leading scientific institutions under the shared objectives of the Belt and Road Initiative and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The BRRC is positioned to be a central node in this evolving partnership, helping to translate the discussed collaborative mechanisms into concrete actions. By connecting AIT’s academic network with CBAS/DBAR’s technological resources, the BRRC continues to drive impactful, solutions-oriented research that addresses critical regional and global challenges.
