Zhang Yanfei^*, Li Yijia, Yu Haili, Zhang Ming, Dou Guotao, Gu Zhanfei

Zhengzhou University of Aeronautics

Abstract：

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has accelerated demand for internationally competent aviation professionals, creating both strategic opportunities and institutional challenges for aviation-focused universities. This paper argues that cultivating such competence requires far more than peripheral additions of English courses or short-term exchange programmes; it demands a systemic transformation across four interconnected dimensions: global vision and strategic cognition, cross-cultural communication, aviation professional competitiveness benchmarked against international standards, and multinational project management and leadership. Drawing on an analysis of the current gaps in training concepts, curriculum design, faculty capacity, and practical platforms at representative Chinese aviation institutions, the paper proposes a coherent reform pathway centred on value leadership, competence orientation, and industry–academia integration. The findings offer both theoretical grounding and practical guidance for advancing postgraduate education reform in specialised aviation institutions.

Key Words：

“Belt and Road” initiative; aviation-focused universities; postgraduate education; international competence; talent cultivation