The International Symposium & 9^th Asian Regional Conference of IAEG was held in Beijing International Conference Center, China on 24th - 25th September, 2013, with 234 delegates from 30 countries attending the meeting. 

The conference was organized by IAEG China National Group, the 29^th Committee of IAEG and Key Laboratory of Engineering Geomechanics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. And 18 well-known units co-organized the conference; they are Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Geological Survey Bureau, China Hydropower Consulting Group, China JK Institute of Engineering Investigation and Design, Institute of Geomechanics, China Railway First Survey and Design Institute, Xi’an Geology Survey Center and Guangdong Hydropower Planning and Design Institute, etc.  

The conference has received 305 abstracts. CRC published the conference proceeding and CD and a collection of abstracts has been organized.  

The conference opening ceremony was grandly held at 8:40 on the morning, 24th. Runqiu Huang, IAEG vice president for Asia chaired the opening session. Professor Sijing Wang, chair of Academic committee delivered the opening speech and introduced the conference theme. The organization committee chairman, professor Faquan Wu made working report on conference organization. The report described the characteristics of the conference: special theme “Global View of Engineering Geology and the Environment”, high level theme lectures and invited lectures, high quality conference proceedings and abstracts and elaborate organization work; he was appreciated for 78 reviewers from many countries, 18 co-organizers, the conference organizer and the volunteers. Yan Zhuang delivered the welcome speech on behalf of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Runqiu Huang made the welcome speech on behalf of the Asian region and Professor Carlos Delga represents the IAEG congratulation message. 

There are two plenary sessions and twelve sessions arranged by the conference. In those sessions, 83 scholars made the oral reports. Preceding scientific problem are discussed and communicated including crustal stability and dynamical geo-hazards, engineering geology in major construction projects, urbanization and geological environment, new ideology and technology in engineering geology. The problems, structure & behavior of soil & rock Mass and Geo-hazards in Karst and Loess Areas, were discussed in the special workshop. International co-operational projects were communicated in the special seminar. 

Eight outstanding engineering geologists in the international community were invited to give lectures. Siiing Wang, past president of IAEG, delivered the lecture on Geo-sphere dynamics and human-Earth harmonization. Carlos Delgado, president of IAEG, introduced strategy for the development of engineering geology and IAEG. Paul Marinos, the IAEG past president made the report on deep and long tunnels in the Himalayas--a review, experiences and lessons learned. Juhua Xiong introduced the support from China Natural Science Foundation for the development of engineering geology in China. David Cruden, a well-known Canadian engineering geologist, talked about assessing the stability of a natural slope. Donald Helm, American scholars, introduced the aquifer mechanics based on the Darcian Flow, and Scott Burns, talked on risk estimation and reduction of geological hazards. 29 invited lectures were delivered in the Symposium. During the conference, 45 scholars made posters and 20 vendors, and co-organizers and IAEG national groups also showed posters. 

Four IAEG Committees held their work meetings during the conference and discussed the development strategy and output of achievements. The president of IAEG, Carlos Delgado and past president Sijing Wang awarded medals for the hosts and co-host units during the symposium, and visited their posters. Carlos Delgado and Sijing Wang also hosted Asian national groups fellowship lunch and volunteer appreciation dinner. 

The conference closing ceremony was celebrated in the afternoon of 25th September, Faqun Wu made the academic summary. He pointed that this conference made scholars roundly understood the frontier problems in the field of engineering geology and environment. They are considering the developping strategy of the disciplines of engineering geology and IAEG, stressed the developping strategy design for the subject. The leading role of IAEG and its commission in the subject should have been more and more strengthened. Giorgio Lollino introduced the preparations for the IAEG 2014, and invited the delegates to attend, IAEG Japan national group issued invitation of the 10th Asian regional engineering geological conference in 2015, Bulgaria national team presented the holding of the European region engineering geology conference and issued invitation. Carlos Delgado congratulated for the big success of conference, and in the end, Runqiu Huang gave the closing remarks. 

Sijing Wang, past president of IAEG, delivering the keynote speech 

Plenary session of the symposium