IOE has extensive academic exchange and cooperation with scholars at home and abroad. It has hosted the Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing Technologies Session (AOMTT) and other international academic meetings several times. The institute is also taking part in the international Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) program, mainly developing its laser guide star adaptive optics system. TMT is one of the most ambitious ground-based optical/IR astronomical projects ever undertaken. TMT will be sited atop 14,000-ft Mauna Kea on Hawaii's “Big Island.” The US, Canada, Japan, India and China are involved in this program.