The first International Conference of the Silk Road Astronomy Research and Education Alliance was held at Dali University in June 2025.

From June 23 to 26, the 1st International Conference of the Silk Road Astronomy Research and Education Alliance (abbreviated as "Silk Road AREA") was successfully held at the Ancient Campus of Dali University. Nearly 100 representatives from China, Kazakhstan, Germany, Austria, South Korea, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Cambodia, Indonesia and other countries gathered to jointly chart a new blueprint for international astronomical collaboration. On June 24, Mr. Yang Shunqing, Party Secretary and President of Dali University, attended the opening ceremony and delivered an opening speech, while Mr. He Zhikui, Vice President of the university, presided over the event.

Mr. Yang Shunqing introduced the school’s operation and development status as well as the progress in the construction of the astronomy discipline. He emphasized that Dali University has always attached great importance to the development of the astronomy discipline. In addition to co-establishing the Wang Jingxiu Academician Workstation, the university has also set up the Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Macrocosmic Astrophysics for Universities, the Yunnan Provincial University-level Big Data Astronomy Innovation Team, and the Sipolszem Expert Workstation of Dali Prefecture. These platforms have greatly enhanced the university’s scientific research capabilities and talent cultivation standards, and yielded a series of innovative achievements. Mr. Yang Shunqing expressed his hope that the experts and scholars present would put forward valuable opinions and suggestions for the high-quality development of the astronomy and information disciplines at Dali University, and continue to care about and support the construction and development of the university.

Witnessed by nearly a hundred guests, representatives from the ten founding member countries of the Silk Road Astronomy Alliance officially signed the Alliance Cooperation Memorandum. Prof. Li Zhongmu, Dean of the Institute of Astronomy and Information at Dali University, and Prof. Rainer Spurzem, a renowned astrophysicist from Germany, were jointly appointed as the first Co-Chairs of the Alliance. Representatives from the other eight founding countries served as Vice Chairs, while representatives from twenty domestic institutions took up positions as members of the Advisory Committee. The Alliance’s Secretariat is hosted at Dali University and administered by the Institute of Astronomy and Information.
During the conference, ten scholars from various countries—including two foreign academicians—focused on the frontiers of astronomy, big data technology, artificial intelligence innovation, and their interdisciplinary applications. Through 30 high-level academic reports and thematic discussions, they shared the latest breakthroughs and profound insights in their respective research fields.
Representatives attending the meeting spoke highly of the significance of the Alliance’s establishment, unanimously agreeing that the Alliance will greatly strengthen the cohesion of the international astronomy research and education network. It will build an efficient bridge for communication and collaboration among global astronomers and educators, especially those engaged in astronomy, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence. The Alliance is committed to building an open platform for knowledge, resource, and technology sharing, jointly advancing the innovative development of astronomy, deepening practical cooperation among regional universities and research institutions in astronomy education, joint research, and talent development, and actively promoting astronomical science popularization to raise public awareness and enthusiasm for cosmic exploration

Member countries of the Silk Road Astronomy Alliance will adhere to equal consultation and joint leadership in the days ahead, jointly driving the advancement of astronomical science and forging a distinctive "Star Silk Road". The Alliance will pursue resource sharing and joint innovation to achieve mutual benefit, win-win outcomes, and common development.
The successful convening of this conference not only provided a valuable platform for teachers and students of our university to directly engage with international cutting-edge research, share advanced technologies and data resources, and participate in high-level cross-border collaborative research projects, but also significantly broadened the research horizons and cooperation channels for all participants. This signifies that Dali University has made a new stride in internationalized education and frontier astronomical research.

[Editor/ Fu Zhimin Reviewer/ Zhang Sihai]