Traditionally, major breakthroughs in the aerospace industries are led by governments. Increasingly, the private sector are playing a more and more important role. In the talk we will discuss how to best develop entrepreneurial talents for the aerospace, increasing led by the private sector. We will start with the importance of cultivating entrepreneurial talents in the sector. This will be followed by creative thinking on how to sow the seeds for aerospace talents, and how to best communicate with the public to raise the interest among students for working in the aerospace industry. Recommendations will be put forward on how we develop future talents through embracing the 4th industrialisation, innovating teaching and creating multidisciplinary talents.
Dr. Christina Yan Zhang
CEO, Arete Intelligence
- Dr. Zhang has a BA (Hons) degree in English, MA in Media Studies (Distinction) and PhD in Civil Engineering (full scholarship). She is an award-winning thought leader in business, innovation and skills, who has led campaigns with global impact, successfully influenced government policy, and advised ministers, CEOs and university presidents.
- In 2009, she was the first Chinese elected to the UK National Union of Students'（NUS) national executive since its foundation in 1922. Between 2010 and 2012, as International Students Officer of NUS UK, she represented the interests of one million international and EU students study at UK Higher and Further Education, who contribute £30bn a year to the UK economy. She has also sat on 20+ advisory committees for the Home Office, UNESCO, the Commonwealth and the World Bank, amongst many others.
- Between 2012 and 2013, she worked in the UK Parliament developing policy for the shadow Business Secretary's team. Between 2013 and 2020, she worked for QS, the leading university rankings company, and as China Director she has grown their profile and commercial success in China substantially. In 2016 her work was effectively endorsed by China's Vice-Premier Liu Yandong at a speech highlighting the 2016-2020 Plan, when she highlighted the use of QS rankings in budget decisions affecting the funding allocations to 3005 universities with 48 million students, with a total annual budget of £150bn.
- In 2020, she founded Arete Intelligence (AI), a UK based organisation whose purpose is the furtherance of excellence in international education. It works with the world’s most respected education opinion leaders to champion this goal.
- As a thought leader and bridge-builder between the British and Chinese higher education sectors, Christina is in regular contact with government ministers and education sector leaders. She is a frequent keynote speaker at global conferences and interviews with well-known and respected media outlets.
