2017 World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) General Assembly was held in Rome, Italy from December 1stto 2nd. The delegation of China Association for Science and Technology (CAST, the Chinese member of WFEO) attended the assembly. As the candidate recommended by CAST, President of Nankai University Gong Ke is elected as President-elect of WFEO. This is also the first time that Chinese candidate serves as the President of the WFEO, which is also an important breakthrough for Chinese to serve in international organizations.
There are three candidates taking part in the election of President-elect of WFEO this year, who come from China, the United States and Nigeria. A total of 81 countries, regions and international organizations jointed the election. After two rounds of voting, Gong Ke was elected as President-elect by a majority of 47 votes, which fully reflects the good image of Chinese scientists on international scientific arena and confidence in our path, in our theory, and in our system as well as our culture.
Gong Ke pledges to remain committed to the objective and mission of WFEO that unite engineers from all over the world to become the backbone of technology and industrial revolution and provide a sustainable future for humanity.
With the recommendation of CAST, Gong Ke has successively served as hosts of WFEO Committee on Information and Communication and Committee on Engineering for Innovative Technologies, and Vice President of WFEO Executive Council. He has received Distinguished Contribution Award in 2015.
According to the constitution of WFEO, Gong Ke will become one of the core members of WFEO Executive Board as the President-elect and officially take office in December 2019.
Founded in 1968 by a group of regional engineering organizations, under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) in Paris, the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) brings together national engineering organizations from over 90 nations and represents some 20 million engineers from around the world. Currently, with 93 member states and regions and 11 related international engineering organizations, WFEO has become the largest international organization consisting of both member states and region and has broad impact in international engineering field. China Association for Science and Technology officially joined WFEO and become a country member in 1981.With a view to enhance the impact and power of discourse in international scientific arena, CAST has established the WFEO work coordination committee (Gong ke is currently serving as the host) and actively recommended Chinese scientific and technological workers to attend WFEO activities. A number of scientists have served as WFEO Vice President and executive members including Zhang Guangdou, Zhang Wei, Qian Yi, Shen Shituan, Zhong Yixin and Liu Xila, etc. With the rapid development of China’s engineering technology and practice, Chinese engineers, engineering educators and experts, and engineering programs have won several WFEO awards.
Reported by Hao Jingqiu
Translated by Ada Yan