From December 28th to 29th, the 2023 "Belt and Road" Vocational Education International Seminar was conducted in Shenzhen, combining online and offline formats. Centered on the theme of "Digital Vocational Education for Interconnectivity and Global Civilizational Exchange", the conference aimed to inject new energy into global economic growth through digital vocational education and to expand new avenues for cultural exchange and mutual understanding among peoples.

Conference Venue

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the launch of the "Belt and Road" initiative. Over the past decade, external exchanges and cooperation in the field of education, especially vocational education, have become vital forces in facilitating policy coordination, infrastructural connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and strengthening people-to-people ties. The China Association for Vocational and Technical Education has hosted five international seminars on "Belt and Road" vocational education, with themes evolving from "Mutual Learning for a Cooperative Win-Win", "Digital Vocational Education: Joint Consultation, Construction, and Sharing", to "Openness, Cooperation, Win-Win – Building a Community of Shared Skills for Humanity", and now to "New Contents, New Values, New Missions". More than 2,200 participants from international organizations such as UNESCO, the European Chamber of Commerce, and representatives from various countries globally have attended.

President Lu Xin's Address

In a forward-looking address, Lu Xin, President of the China Association for Vocational and Technical Education and former Deputy Minister of Education, highlighted six key points: implementing China's support for high-quality "Belt and Road" construction through eight actions; guiding the new journey of international development in vocational education with global development, security, and civilization initiatives; accelerating the "going global" strategy for vocational education and perfecting a new model of school-enterprise collaboration overseas; solidifying flagship international cooperative projects in vocational education to promote people-to-people bonds; leveraging the advantages of digital technology to promote the joint construction and sharing of digital education resources across countries; and implementing the "Tianjin Initiative" from the World Vocational and Technical Education Conference to promote high-quality development in vocational education.

Guest Address

Hosts

Guest speeches were delivered by distinguished leaders including Xia Zehan, Director of the UNESCO Office in China; Qin Changwei, Secretary-General of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO; Li Yingli, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Vocational and Adult Education at the Ministry of Education; Wu Jinsong, Second Inspector of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges at the Ministry of Education; Huang Hui, Deputy Director of the Vocational Education Development Center at the Ministry of Education; Wu Yanling, Second Inspector of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Education; Zhong Yiying, Deputy Director of the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Education; and Yang Xinbin, Party Secretary of Shenzhen Polytechnic University. The opening ceremony was hosted by Liu Jiantong, Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Association for Vocational and Technical Education, and Song Min, Executive Vice President of the China Association for Vocational and Technical Education.

Keynote Speech

Launch Ceremony

The seminar was highlighted by engaging speeches. Wang Zhigang, Chief Inspector of the Shandong Provincial Department of Education; Tido Janssen, Director of Vocational Education Solutions at the German Chamber of Commerce; Liu Jiansheng, President of Huawei's Training and Certification Business Department; Musa Diaby, President of the National Polytechnic Institute of Côte d'Ivoire; Zhao Zhongxiu, President of the University of International Business and Economics; and Xu Jian, President of Shenzhen Polytechnic University, among other experts and scholars, delivered insightful addresses on the pivotal theme of how vocational education can drive the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Conference Venue

The seminar focused on key issues such as achieving vocational education resource connectivity within the "Belt and Road" comprehensive network, sharing vocational education philosophies amidst the construction of an open world economy, establishing international journals on vocational education through pragmatic cooperation, fostering win-win socio-economic development among nations through open collaboration, and implementing high-quality "Belt and Road" initiatives with high-quality vocational education. Attendees engaged in sharing and exchanging views on these significant topics.

During the seminar, the unveiling ceremony for the "Vocational Education Translation Series" and the launch ceremony for the "Vocational·Technology·Education" international journal were conducted. Additionally, the seminar introduced the "Ban Mo Academy" initiative, aimed at leveraging the spirit of craftsmanship to benefit public welfare. Guests from both domestic and international backgrounds enjoyed a symphonic concert themed "Connecting the World with Music".

The seminar was organized by the China Association for Vocational and Technical Education and the Vocational Education Development Center of the Ministry of Education, hosted by Shenzhen Polytechnic University, the Foreign Language Education Committee of the China Association for Vocational and Technical Education, the Committee for International Exchange and Cooperation, and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Branch. It received support from Beijing Foreign Studies University, the University of International Business and Economics, Shanghai International Studies University, Li Ming Professional University, and the China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week, with nearly 300 representatives from 49 countries and regions attending.

(Source: China Vocational Education Association)