HKIAA jointly organised the Asia Pacific Region Innovation & Capacity Building Symposium 2023 with CAAC and HKCAD  

The Asia Pacific Region Innovation & Capacity Building Symposium 2023 (APICS 2023), jointly organised by the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA), the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (HKCAD), held at AsiaWorld Expo, Hong Kong on 14 and 15 December 2023, was concluded with great success.

The symposium was attended by over 1,500 aviation professionals from around the world, including top leaders and experts from civil aviation authorities, air navigation service providers, airport operators and aviation industry as well as young talent from more than 35 states and administrations. The symposium aims to facilitate discussions on innovative technologies and capacity building in both regional and international contexts. Additionally, it provides an excellent platform for participants to establish business network and foster collaboration.

The two-day APICS 2023 was officiated by 11 guests of honour at the opening ceremony, followed by opening remarks from Mr Michael WONG, Deputy Financial Secretary HKSAR, Mr CUI Xiaofeng, Deputy Administrator of the CAAC, and Mr Jack SO, Chairman of Airport Authority Hong Kong. Witnessed by the guests of honour, 25 companies and organisations exchanged collaborative agreements to demonstrate their commitments to enhancing regional and international cooperation on innovative technologies and capacity building. During the occasion, HKIAA exchanged MoUs with the International Cooperation and Service Centre (ICSCC) of CAAC, Civil Aviation Flight University of China (CAFCU) and the Ecole Nationale de I’Aviation Civile (ENAC) respectively.

Themed "Uniting the Strength of Innovation for Building a Seamless Sky", APICS 2023 brought together nearly 25 renowned speakers to share their insights in 15 speeches and talks related to the theme embracing three expert panels, namely "Innovation in Sky - Air Navigation Service", "Innovation on Ground - Airport Operations" and "Capacity Building for Civil Aviation Workforce". The symposium also included an exhibition with nearly 60 leading global exhibitors showcasing their innovative solutions and cutting-edge technologies in civil aviation to the participants.

As one of the organisers, HKIAA showcased our expertise in professional aviation training through exhibition and also at the expert panel discussion where Mr Simon Li, HKIAA’s President, shared his insights with Prof DING Shuiting, President of the Civil Aviation University of China and Mr Nicolas CAZALIS, Vice President of ENAC. On the topic “Capacity Building for Civil Aviation Workforce”, the panellists provided attendees with enlightening perspectives on preparing the next-generation aviation talent for the exciting world of aviation.

At HKIAA, we are committed to developing a world-class aviation training hub and strengthening Hong Kong aviation soft power. We are honoured to witness the keen interest of the aviation community joining together to shape the future of aviation with innovation and building a seamless sky.