Shanghai Jiao Tong University has launched a master's program in engineering for international students that aims to cultivate high-level talent in the field of navigation and remote sensing.

The program, which will start in September, will serve the Belt and Road Initiative, with enrollment mainly targeting students from countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Satellite navigation and remote sensing are key technology projects that China has been actively promoting and developing. BeiDou, for example, the country's satellite navigation system, already covers countries involved in the initiative.

"The program aims to cultivate high-level international talent with comprehensive qualities, practical capabilities and innovative engineering capabilities in the information technology field of navigation and remote sensing," said Yu Wenxian, president of the university's Academy of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, who is in charge of the program.

The Belt and Road Satellite Navigation and Remote Sensing Program is supported by the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Navigation and Location-Based Services and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensing and Recognition. Its three core courses are geographic information systems and applications, navigation technology and remote sensing information processing.

One highlight of the program is its focus on practical training and connections between the academy and enterprises. Students will join companies for six months to a year on internships, which is also related to their final theses.

"This program will provide students with rich training experiences, and help them to become competitive in employment upon graduation," said Xue Yang, CEO of the operator of the China Beidou Technology Innovation West Hongqiao Park in Shanghai. The park is one of the training bases for the master's degree program.

"Our park has attracted a number of companies and organizations," he said. "Many companies have an urgent need for talent during their quick overseas expansion. High-level talent with deep knowledge and better understanding of local conditions is urgently needed."

The two-year program will enroll 40 to 50 students each year, and enrollment is now underway, the school said.