OnNovember 20-24, with the support and guidance of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange of the Ministry of Education, the second “Future Career Stars” Workshop of BRICKS TVET Cooperation Alliance (“BRICKS-TCA”), themed by “Innovation Driving the Future of BRICS”, was held online in order to promote student exchanges in vocational schools of BRICS countries, empower youth growth and enhancetheir capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship. The workshop was hosted bythe BRICKS-TCA Secretariat and theChina Education Association for International Exchange (“CEAIE”), and organized by Shenzhen Polytechnic University (“SZPU”), with participation of more than 30 students from five colleges and universities in Russia, China and other countries. Dr. Wang Chengcheng from the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Associate Professor Zhou Yuerong from the School of Foreign Languages and Business delivered keynote speeches for the students. Associate Professor Zhou Yuerong also instructed the students to complete their project tasks, and made expert comments thereon.

Closely in line with the theme of “Innovation and Entrepreneurship”, the workshop highlighted the characteristics of vocational and technical education, and based on the business model of innovation-based enterprises of interest from young students worldwide, built an international exchange and cooperation platform integrating classroom education and interactive communication for young students, through keynote reports, video sharing, topic discussion, results display and other ways. Within a week, 8 teams from National University of Science and Technology, Russian State Social University, Russian State Agrarian University, Shenzhen Polytechnic University, Shenzhen Institute of Information Technology and other colleges and universities conducted research on the distinctive innovation-based enterprises in their countries according to the project tasks assigned by their instructors, with focus on the change of innovation mode, innovation path and innovation content of the enterprises before and after the epidemic.

The students said that the workshoplit up the spark of thoughts and brought them an opportunity to learn about the innovation and entrepreneurship policies of different countries and the development of related enterprises. They hoped that more similar activities would be held in the future to build a platform for exchanges among peers from different countries.

As a student exchange activity held under the framework of BRICKS-TCA, the workshop featured a novel form, extensive content, andhigh degree of interaction,with active response from the students, full of harvest. The activity built a bridge of exchanges and cooperation among vocational college students and expanded the “circle of friends” of young people in BRICS countries, affirmed as an important outcome from the implementation of the Beijing Declaration of the 14^th BRICS Leaders’ Meeting. (Li Simin, International Office)