China-Africa Vocational Education exchange seminar 2020

China-Africa Vocational Education Academic Exchange seminar 2020 under the World Conference on Vocational Education and second Plenary Meeting of Expert Committee of Sunmaker Oil and Gas Training Institute SOGTI） in 2020 (hereinafter referred to as “Seminar”) was held in Qingdao on November 17 and 18, 2020.

During the seminar on 17, the Online Group Signing Ceremony of the Tripartite Cooperation Agreement on China TVET Colleges Overseas Joint Education Program in East African Countries was held, with the list of another 15 Chinese vocational colleges for overseas education projects announced.

Meanwhile, Inter-University Council for East Africa and Expert Committee of Sunmaker Oil and Gas Training Institute jointly awarded Outstanding Units in China-Africa Education Cooperation and People-to-people Exchange to 19 companies, research institutes and universities. On November 18, the Sunmaker Oil & Gas Training Institute Expert Committee released its 2020-2023 work plan and announced 3 research subjects for overseas education projects.

This seminar, under the guidance of the Ministry of Education and Sports of Uganda, was hosted by B&R Alliance for Industry and Education Collaboration, Inter-University Council for East Africa and Expert Committee of Sunmaker Oil and Gas Training Institute, co-sponsored by Institute of Research on Developing Countries’ TVET, and organized by Zibo Vocational Institute, Shandong Vocational College of Science and Technology and Qingdao Harbour Vocational & Technical College. More than 70 Chinese vocational colleges and over 50 higher education colleges of north Africa participated online and offline in the seminar.

Liu Guiyu, president of Shandong Vocational College of Science and Technology, presided over the ceremony. Dr. Safinah Kisu Museene, Commissioner-BTVET of Ministry of Education and Sports of Uganda; Yang Xiaochun, Deputy Director-General of China Center for International People-to-People Exchange, Ministry of Education, P. R. China; Prof. Mike Kuria, Acting Executive Secretary of Inter-University Council for East Africa; and Ma Bo, General Manager of Sunmaker, addressed the opening ceremony.
 
Dr. Safinah Kisu Museene said that vocational and technical education which is of great importance for individuals and enterprises is key element hindering production and economic growth of Uganda. Uganda has now formulated vocational education and training plan to address related problems which will be implemented as a crucial part of 2025 vision and national development strategy of Uganda, and that the rich experience of China in vocational education could serve as a reference for African countries.
 

Yang Xiaochun, Deputy Director-General of China Center for International People-to-People Exchange, Ministry of Education, P. R. China, said that we are achieving a multi-tier, multi-field and multi-mode development in China-Africa vocational education exchange and cooperation with multiple outcomes after many years’ research and exploration. In face of issues and challenges in our exchanges and cooperation, we should strengthen China-Africa vocational education cooperation, serve the “Belt & Road” Initiative and the building of China-Africa Community with a Shared Future, in the principles of putting-people-first, openness and equality, respect and inclusiveness, exchanges and mutual learning, win-win cooperation, justice and shared interest, as well as people and cultural exchanges of sustainable development.
 

Prof. Mike Kuria, Acting Executive Secretary of Inter-University Council for East Africa, said that this seminar has built a very important platform for China-Africa vocational education cooperation which can effectively promote wider cooperation and exchanges under the framework of the B&R Initiative. Only by helping each other and pulling together in times of trouble can we overcome the difficulties together. This is the lesson we draw from Covid-19 that we must conduct closer cooperation. Inter-University Council for East Africa, the only institution in charge of the education sector under the East African Community, has more than 130 university members and will attract more colleges and universities to join in the future. We will push forward the development of vocational education through the establishment of African talent training centers and education cooperation programs. In the future, more students will go to China to study, and the vocational education cooperation between China and Africa will become closer.

Ma Bo, General Manager of Sunmaker, said that as a solution provider for international vocational education, Sunmaker specializes in localized education and training and providing a comprehensive vocational education and skill training system. Through this conference, Sunmaker stands ready to work with all parties to contribute ourselves in resource allocation, industrial cooperation, project development, teacher training, teaching material development, and teaching resource development. We believe that with so many experts and professors in vocational education and so many African and Chinese friends together, China-Africa cooperation in the field of vocational education will undoubtedly get better and better.
 

The Online Group Signing Ceremony of the Tripartite Cooperation Agreement on China TVET Colleges Overseas Joint Education Program in East African Countries and the Awarding Ceremony for Outstanding Units in China-Africa Education Cooperation and People-to-people Exchange were presided over by Kong Fanshi, President of Zhengzhou Railway Vocational and Technical College. Eight Chinese vocational colleges including Changzhou Vocational Institute of Mechatronic Technology, Chengdu Textile College, Guangdong Polytechnic of Water Resources and Electric Engineering, Kunming Metallurgy College, Shandong Vocational College of Science and Technology, Weifang Vocational College, Xianyang Vocational Technical College and Zibo Vocational Institute have signed cooperation agreement on overseas education projects with 8 universities in East African countries, and announced the list of 15 Chinese vocational colleges for overseas education projects. At the same time, the Inter-University Council for East Africa and Expert Committee of Sunmaker Oil and Gas Training Institute jointly awarded Outstanding Units in China-Africa Education Cooperation and People-to-people Exchange to 19 companies, research institutions and colleges that have made active contributions in the field of China-Africa education cooperation and people exchange.

 
Yang Xiaochun, Deputy Director-General of China Center for International People-to-People Exchange, Ministry of Education, P. R. China Delivers a Keynote Speech
 Gong Xiaoyong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Chongqing College of Electronic Engineering, Delivers a Keynote Speech

The keynote speech session of the seminar was presided over by Li Ruichang, Vice President of Weifang Vocational College, Dr. Samuel, Chief Education Expert of the Ministry of Education and Sports of Uganda, Yang Xiaochun, Deputy Director-General of China Center for International People-to-People Exchange, Ministry of Education, P. R. China, Dr. Joseph, expert of International Assistance Project of Inter-University Council for East Africa, and professor Gong Xiaoyong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Chongqing College of Electronic Engineering, delivered keynote speeches under the titles of The Nature of TVET In Uganda- Policy and Implementation; Strengthen China-Africa TVET Cooperation, Serve Belt and Road Initiative & the building of China-Africa Community with a Shared Future; East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration; and Highlighting the Importance of intelligence, Deepening the Industry and Education Collaboration, Exploring Better Practice and Development of TVET in China and Africa.
 
The summit dialogue session was hosted by Duan Xiaofei, Vice President of Sunmaker Oil & Gas Training Institute, Li Bin, Director of International Cooperation and Exchange Office of Chongqing Education Commission, Liu Jianfei, Party Secretary of Hunan Vocational College of Railway Technology, Li Xuetai, President of Shandong Vocational Animal Science and Veterinary College, Ding Xingcui, Director of the International Forestry Technology Training Center of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Zheng Baisong, Vice President of Huanggang Polytechnic College, Wu Mingjun, Vice President of Sichuan College of Architectural Technology, and Zhang Rushan, Vice President of Dongying Vocational Institute participated in the session. They have conducted a fruitful sharing and discussion from the perspectives of the government, colleges, and scientific research institutions, under the theme of Characteristic Development of International Collaboration & Exchange of TVET Institutions.

On the afternoon of the 18th, 25 Chinese vocational colleges and related vocational education experts participated in 2nd Plenary Meeting of Expert Committee of Sunmaker Oil & Gas Training Institute in 2020. They discussed and approved the 2020-2023 work plan and confirmed leading unit of 3 research subjects of China TVET Colleges Overseas Joint Education Program in East African Countries. Since 2019, with the support of Inter-University Council for East Africa and China Center for International People-to-People Exchange, Ministry of Education, P. R. China, Sunmaker has actively responded to the national B&R Initiative, promoted Chinese vocational colleges to "go global", shared Chinese vocational education development plans and standards, served B&R Chinese-funded enterprises, and cultivated local vocational and technical talents, forming solutions for China TVET Colleges Overseas Joint Education Program in East African Countries with "Chinese registration and on-site training" as the core and creating China-Africa vocational education cooperative demonstration project.

This story is sponsored by Sunmaker Oil and Gas Training Institute