Themed on "Vocational Education as a Key Driver of Global Sustainable Development", the parallel session of the 2024 World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference was held in Tianjin on Nov. 21.

The session was sponsored by China's Ministry of Education, the National Commission of China for UNESCO, and the Tianjin Municipal People's Government, and organized by Beijing Foreign Studies University. Over 200 representatives from education departments, higher education institutions, and research institutions from nearly 30 countries and regions participated in the parallel session, aiming to delve into the critical role of vocational education in sustainable development against the backdrop of global economic integration and industrial upgrading and consolidate educational strength to build a bridge for international cooperation.

Bouréma Kansaye, Mali's Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Loyda Barreda Rodríguez, Nicaragua's Director of the National Technological Training Institute, Andrey Alekseyevich Korneyyev, Russian Deputy Minister of Education, Monica Musenero Masanza, Uganda's Minister for Science Technology and Innovation, Liao Pinhu, Vice Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Shoichi Kondo, a member of the House of Representatives of Japan, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. They introduced frontier concepts in vocational education, shared results of international cooperation, explored strategies and methods for sustainable development, and provided references for global vocational education cooperation and sustainable development.

Bouréma Kansaye pointed out in his speech that vocational education, as a significant means of cultivating talented individuals with practical skills, plays a pivotal role in advancing global sustainable development. He also mentioned that China and Mali have maintained close cooperation and exchanges across various fields. He expressed hope that vocational education could act as a bridge to further deepen the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, fostering a better future together.

Loyda Barreda Rodríguez emphasized in her speech the importance of tailoring vocational education to local needs. She called for utilizing the benefits of both bilateral and multilateral cooperation to enhance the development of vocational education, increase employment opportunities, and promote national overall development. Rodríguez conveyed appreciation for the collaborative efforts between China and Nicaragua in areas such as history, culture, and tourism, and anticipated further strengthening of bilateral ties and the inauguration of a new chapter in cooperation.

Andrey Alekseyevich Korneyyev highlighted the achievements and experiences in the advancement of Russian vocational education. He stated that Russia places a high value on vocational education and diligently works to promote the integration of industries and education, and facilitate school-enterprise collaboration to closely connect vocational education with the labor market. He noted that Russia has been proactive in using advanced technology, competitions, and assessments to offer platforms and create opportunities for developing a new generation of technical and skilled talents.

Monica Musenero Masanza emphasized the crucial role of vocational education in eradicating poverty and driving economic progress, as well as the necessity of cultivating skilled talents to confront future challenges. Musenero introduced the outcomes of projects such as the Luban Workshop and industrial parks developed through China-Uganda collaboration, highlighting the beneficial effects of international cooperation in vocational education on enhancing local R&D, boosting production capacity, and building industrial ecosystems.

Liao Pinhu highlighted the practices and outcomes stemming from the development of the China-ASEAN Modern Craftsman Institute. By means of promoting high-quality vocational education development, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has collaborated with countries along the Belt and Road to co-build and share quality vocational education resources.

In Shoichi Kondo's speech, he highlighted the accomplishments achieved through the collaboration between China and Japan in areas such as education and the environment. He emphasized the importance of improving skilled talent literacy in the globalized world, shared practices and successes in developing the Japanese vocational education system, and expressed a commitment to further explore specific methods for enhancing the cultivation of international talents in Asia and Africa.

Professor Wang Dinghua noted the shared consensus among countries on vocational education development, namely to advance vocational education through global cooperation, focus on building a sound and effective international governance system that incorporates external resources, fosters international outreach, ensures high quality, and promotes integration.

The conference has outlined three primary topics for in-depth discussion: "The Concept of Sustainable Development: Green Development and Social Equity," "The Mechanisms of Sustainable Development: Global Vision and International Cooperation," and "The Pathways of Sustainable Development: Technological Innovation and Industrial Upgrading."

These discussions are intended to share practical results of vocational education development on a global scale and to explore various strategies for tackling environmental challenges, fostering employment growth, and facilitating industrial transformation.

Mohd Zahari Ismail, Director of the Polytechnic Education and Community Colleges Department at the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, introduced Malaysia's policies, plans, and achievements in using vocational education to promote youth employment, pursue sustainable development goals, and deepen international cooperation.

Lv Jingquan, Director of the Expert Committee on the Construction of Luban Workshops under the Ministry of Education and Professor at Tianjin University of Technology and Education, introduced the Chinese vocational education brand, the Luban Workshop EPIP, and highlighted its significant contributions to talent cultivation through international cooperation.

Letícia Fraz?o Alexandre de Moraes Leme, Minister-Counselor of the Brazilian Embassy in China, introduced practical outcomes of the deep integration of sustainable development principles in the field of vocational education, using examples from the development of vocational education in Brazil.

Jessica Shuck, Counselor of the British Department for Business and Trade at the British Embassy in China, elaborated on the importance of digital transformation for the development of vocational education based on the China-UK Technical and Vocational Education and Training Digitalization Project.

Professor Xu Jianling, President of Shenzhen Polytechnic University, introduced the "One Core, Six Pillars" model for high-quality international development at Shenzhen Polytechnic University. He highlighted how the institution is exploring new pathways and models for internationalizing vocational education by centering on digital transformation and building diverse international cooperation platforms.

Li Junfeng, Vice President of Huawei and President of the Public Sector Business Group, outlined Huawei's achievements in exploring collaborative education mechanisms and building a digital and intelligent education ecosystem. Li emphasized that Huawei will continue to promote deeper industry-education integration and cultivate high-quality talents, empowering sustainable global talent development.

Tamas Hajab, Senior Advisor to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in China and Head of the OECD Beijing Office, showcased OECD's innovative work in evaluating international vocational education and training. He emphasized the pivotal role of evaluation in enhancing the quality of vocational education and training, fostering international cooperation, and guiding policy development. He also highlighted its contributions to advancing vocational education and training system reforms, strengthening the alignment of vocational education with market demands, and promoting lifelong learning.

Tricha Loubna, Director General of the Office of Vocational Training and Employment Promotion of the Kingdom of Morocco, provided a detailed overview of Morocco's achievements and practices in vocational education and interpreted the future pathways for China-Morocco vocational education cooperation.

Rachel Lynch, First Secretary (Education and Research) at the Australian Embassy in China, elaborated on the significant role that Australia's vocational education and training system plays in developing individual skills and its contributions to Australia's long-term sustainable development.

Zhao Fengwen, Secretary of the Party Committee of Shandong Polytechnic, provided an in-depth analysis from a global perspective on how vocational education and talent development can help address environmental challenges, promote employment growth, and support industrial transformation.

Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, Executive Director of Unitec Institute of Technology Region 1, explained how vocational education and training systems can align with industry needs, thus supporting the development of a workforce with sustainable development literacy.

Professor Cai Dapeng, President of Beijing Vocational College of Labor and Social Security, explored how vocational education can provide innovative solutions to real-world societal issues, driving continuous social progress.

Georg Stadler, Chief Representative of the Hanns-Seidel Stiftung(German) Gansu Office, elaborated on the significance of sustainable development in Germany's vocational education system, providing a systematic overview of Germany's practical experiences in integrating vocational education with sustainability and environmental protection. Stadler also shared methods and outcomes of incorporating sustainable development principles into vocational education and training.

Gareth Rimmington, an expert at Komatsu Group, Corporate Expert at Komatsu Group, emphasized the critical role of vocational education in sustainable underground mining, noting that advancements in mining technology have led to an increased demand for highly skilled talent, thereby driving the standardization and globalization of vocational education. He believes that vocational education is crucial for cultivating professionals capable of safely and efficiently managing complex mining operations, providing continuous talent support for the transformation and upgrading of the underground mining industry.

Mayuree Sriraboot, President of Ayutthaya Technical College in Thailand, introduced Thailand's national vocational education plans, policies, and implementation outcomes based on the "UNESCO Strategy for TVET (2022–2029)."

Professor Yuan Dayong, Vice Dean of the Graduate School of Education at Beijing Foreign Studies University, introduced Beijing Foreign Studies University's open, diverse, and innovative internationalization philosophy, highlighting its achievements in areas such as research leadership, platform development, and distinctive activities. Yuan also shared the university's significant achievements gained in exploring the international development of vocational education and promoting global vocational education cooperation.

This conference, with a global perspective, brought together diverse forces to focus on sustainable development, share experiences in training technical and skilled talent, and discuss cooperation in vocational education development.

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