In July 2025, discussions in the field of space law and policy took place between the OSL and the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT).
The BIT is a leading Chinese university, with a long-standing tradition in science, engineering and applied research. It is home to the Academy of Air, Space Policy and Law, a key academic hub for research and education in space law and policy. For further information on the Beijing Institute and the Academy, please refer to the attached document and visit the BIT’s official website.
Within this framework, the BIT invited OSL to take part, from 19 October to 1 November 2025, in two related events held in Shanghai and Beijing.
Shanghai session
From 19 to 22 October, OSL was in Shanghai to participate in the 23rd Conference on International Exchange of Professionals (CIEP), held from 20 to 25 October at the Shanghai World Expo Center.
Established in 2001, the CIEP brings together professionals, researchers and institutions from around the world to engage in dialogue on talent exchange, scientific and technological cooperation and related policy issues, providing a forum for sharing insights on global development and innovation. The theme of the 2025 edition was “Pooling Global Talents for Shared Success.”
Beijing session
OSL participated in the inauguration conference and in the first plenary meeting of the GUAOSPLE, as well as in the International Space Policy and Law Symposium on Critical Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities in Global Space Governance, held at the BIT Liangxiang Campus from 23 to 25 October.
On this occasion, Sergio Marchisio delivered a keynote speech on national space legislation, addressing key trends and general approaches emerging at national level, and reflecting on the evolving role of domestic legal frameworks in governing space activities, particularly in light of the evolving challenges and developments in the space sector.
Check out the agenda for both events here!
GUAOSPLE is the acronym for Global University Alliance for Outer Space Policy and Law Education, an initiative developed by Professor Guoyu Wang, Dean of the Academy of Aerospace Law and Policy and Vice-Dean of the BIT Law School.
The GUAOSPLE association is presented as the first global cooperation platform at the intersection of space law and policy, space diplomacy, and international law and policy in the space sector. It also aims to serve as a global platform focused on university-level education in space policy and law, with broad participation from researchers from African and Latin American countries.
Among its stated objectives are addressing imbalances in educational resources and the limited capacity of national platforms; supporting the United Nations in promoting capacity-building in space law and policy—particularly in developing countries; and fostering the coordinated, high-level development of university education in this field.
Additionally, the Association seeks to:
- promote international research in space law and policy and strengthen national and international academic platforms;
- create effective channels for sharing information and research outcomes, facilitating academic exchanges of faculty and students, as well as project-based collaboration among global think tanks, universities, and research institutes;
- actively foster faculty and student mobility through summer schools, joint research programs, and mechanisms for the mutual recognition of academic qualifications.
To know more about the GUAOSPLE association click here!
As of October 2025, GUAOSPLE included 27 foreign universities, research institutes, and international organizations, together with 15 Chinese universities and institutions. The goal is to establish, within five years, 10 regional secretariats and to include at least 50 foreign universities, for a projected total of more than 100 non-Chinese members.
These objectives are reflected in the Memorandum of Understanding prepared by BIT and made available to participants in the event.
Read the MoU between Sapienza/OSL and the BIT School of Law.
With regard to Sapienza, collaboration with Chinese universities is already active in several scientific fields, including with BIT and the Shanghai Academy of Sciences; therefore, this cooperation has been extended to the field of space law and policy through existing specialized structures, in particular OSL Sapienza.
