MoU Signing Ceremony for Partnership under the UNESCO Chair on Digitalization in TVET held at the Liuxiandong Campus.

On October 24, Shenzhen Polytechnic University and the University of Goroka, Papua New Guinea held an MoU signing ceremony at the Liuxiandong Campus to formalize their collaboration under the framework of the UNESCO Chair on Digitalization in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The ceremony was attended by Dr. Matthew Landu, Vice President of Academic, Research, and Innovation at the University of Goroka; Dr. Jane Awi, Executive Director of the Somare Research Institute and Executive Director of the Centre for Confucius Education Cultural Research; Risoi Koiyu, Executive Director of ITVET; Li Yue, Vice President of Shenzhen Polytechnic University; Yang Wenming, Director of the Asia-Africa Center; and Yang Congkun, Deputy Director of the Office of International Exchange and Cooperation.

In her welcoming remarks, Li Yue provided an overview of Shenzhen Polytechnic University’s history and current vision, highlighting achievements in international cooperation projects and academic publications. She expressed hope that this new partnership would strengthen ties between the two institutions, facilitate in-depth collaboration in areas such as student and faculty exchange, and contribute to the high-quality development of vocational education for both sides. Yang Wenming briefly introduced the subprojects and progress of the UNESCO Chair on Digitalization in TVET.

Dr. Matthew Landu extended his gratitude to Shenzhen Polytechnic University for the invitation to the Global Forum on Digital Transformation in TVET 2024 in Shenzhen, lauding the university’s advanced educational environment, notable achievements, and progress under the UNESCO Chair. He expressed a desire to establish a partnership and proposed jointly organizing an Asia-Pacific Education Summit in 2025-2026. Dr. Jane Awi and Risoi Koiyu also expressed interest in collaborating on faculty and student exchanges as well as in teaching and research. Both institutions further discussed the proposed framework for the partnership and envisioned areas of future cooperation.

Following the discussions, Dr. Matthew Landu and Li Yue officially signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.

This MoU marks the beginning of collaboration between the two universities and underscores Shenzhen Polytechnic University’s commitment to expanding its partnerships and international influence across the Pacific region under the UNESCO Chair. The two institutions will collaborate extensively in talent development, academic research, and faculty and student exchange, contributing to the internationalization and digital transformation of vocational education. 

(Zhong Zhuoya, Asia-Africa Center)