China-led world conference on vocational, technical education to open in Tianjin

The first World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference (WVTEDC) will kick off in North China's Tianjin, from Aug 19 to 20. It's expected to be shaped into a first-class platform for promoting vocational education development, and become a brand with Chinese allure and global influence.

The logo of the World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference [Photo provided to Tianjin.chinadaily.com.cn/lubanws]

Sponsored by the Ministry of Education (MOE), the National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO and the Tianjin government, the three-day event is set to gather 500 representatives from international organizations, domestic and foreign government agencies, enterprises, research institutions and vocational colleges in the beautiful port city, with an additional 300 attending online.

The much-anticipated conference will host a series of activities, including a main forum and 14 parallel forums, a plenary session of the World TVET League, a vocational college skills competition, and an industry-vocational education integration expo with the theme of "Vocational and Technical Education Development in the Post-Pandemic Era—New Changes, New Ways and New Skills".

The World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference is to open at the National Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin. [Photo by Pan Yixuan]

The offline venue is located at the National Convention and Exhibition Center. Forum participants will gather to discuss digital economic empowerment, industry and education integration, poverty reduction and lifelong learning, as well as share experience and explore the direction and main tasks of global vocational education reform.

The MOE plans to hold the conference every two years based on the principles of achieving shared growth through discussion, collaboration and mutual learning.

World TVET League

China will launch a World Technical and Vocational Education and Training League, in collaboration with partners, to support global development.

The league, with 131 initial members, has been commissioned to build a vocational education-industry integration community, which it will achieve through strengthening cooperation in talent training, standards and curriculum co-construction, school-running capability improvements and academic exchanges.

The draft constitution has been completed, and will be deliberated in the afternoon of Aug 18.

In addition, the International Vocational and Technical Education Award Program (tentative name) will be launched at the opening ceremony of the WVTEDC on Aug 19, with the league being officially established at the closing ceremony on Aug 20.

World Vocational College Skills Competition

The 2022 World Vocational College Skills Competition kicked off online and in person in the northern port city of Tianjin, on Aug 8.

Nearly 1,000 players from 70 countries and regions have competed against and learned from one another in around20 venues in this beautiful port city.

A contestant competes in the 2022 World Vocational College Skills Competition in Tianjin. [Photo by Wu Yiwen]

With a theme of "showing off youth with skills for the future", two competition areas were set up in Tianjin municipality and Jiangxi province, comprising 15 competition and 8 exhibition events. The Tianjin competition area, which served as the main venue, hosted 13 competition and 8 exhibition events.

A contestant displays tea art skills during the 2022 World Vocational College Skills Competition in Tianjin. [Photo by Pan Yixuan]

In order to enhance friendships, the organizer required that Chinese and foreign players should work together to complete various competitions.

The exhibition category is not as intense as that of the competition, but it is equally fascinating. Things displayed included not only high-level intelligent technology but also unique Chinese traditional culture.

World Expo on the Integration of Vocational Education and Industry

The World Expo on the Integration of Vocational Education and Industry will open to the public on Aug 19, both online and on site. The event is sponsored by the Chinese Society for Technical and Vocational Education.

A staff member check the high-end equipment to be displayed at the World Expo on the Integration of Vocational Education and Industry. [Photo by Pan Yixuan]

With a theme of "Make vocational education match new technology and industrial changes", the online part will consist of nine special exhibitions pertaining to the digital economy, smart manufacturing and high-end equipment, frontier technology, the green economy, engineering education and international education.

The offline exhibitions condense the content mentioned above, demonstrating how the high-quality vocational education results Tianjin has achieved serve local development, among which the Luban Workshop is an outstanding example.

The Luban Workshop

During the past six years, the Luban Workshop has created job opportunities in countries in which Chinese companies have increased their investments.

The Luban Workshop achievement exhibition is ready to lure visitors. [Photo by Wu Yiwen]

The Luban Workshops are programs designed to offer high-end technical skills training that can help college students meet the requirements of the emerging global market.

To date, 20 workshops have been established in Asia, Africa and Europe by Tianjin's vocational colleges, providing training skills and certifications for more than 200,000 students in 49 majors, including transportation, mechanical engineering and new energy.

As the first of its kind hosted by China, the six-day competition focused on contestants' abilities in innovation, coordination and cooperation, and exchanges among vocational schools and enterprises.