In line with the comprehensive implementation of the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the 2023 UK-China Collaborative Dialogue on the Integration of Industry and Vocational Education was ceremoniously inaugurated in Beijing from October 28th to 29th. This event aims to promote international exchange and cooperation in vocational education, drive the profound development of international integration of industry and vocational education, and expedite the training of globally oriented, multi-skilled technical talents. Attendees at the event included Wang Jinbao, Former Secretary-General of China Vocational Education Association; Liu Jing, Director of Education, Skills, Sports, Retail and Creative Industries, Department for International Trade of the British Embassy in China; Xing Hui, Director of the Academic Committee of the National Academy of Education Administration, and Vice President of China Wisdom Engineering Association; leaders and representatives for international exchange from 30 vocational colleges in China, and more than 120 guests from over 20 institutions and colleges, such as the Institute of the Motor Industry, and the NPTC Group of Colleges. Xie Yonghua, Deputy Party Secretary and President of Nanjing Vocational University of Industry Technology (NJUIT), was invited to deliver a keynote speech.
At the event, President Xie Yonghua gave a presentation entitled “Internationalization Work and Sino-British Cooperation in Vocational Education in Nanjing Vocational University of Industry Technology”, which covered the history, programs, school-running characteristics of NJUIT and its achievements regarding internationalization in recent years, with a particular emphasis on its practical approaches to internationalization and the overview of collaborative exchanges with overseas institutions. He pointed out that as the first public vocational undergraduate institution in China, NJUIT boldly shoulders up the mission of developing vocational education in China and also Jiangsu Province by attaching equal emphasis to “bringing in” and “going global”. Regarding bringing in, Xie Yonghua introduced that NJUIT has implemented various strategies: First, NJUIT has taken multiple measures to ensure the quality and effectiveness of education for international students studying in China; second, it has utilized high-quality educational resources from overseas, vigorously promoting the transformation and enhancement of China-foreign cooperative education; third, it has adopted international vocational education standards to deepen educational and teaching reforms. Whereas in the context of going global, NJUIT involves the outbound movement of teachers, students, standards, and cultural exchanges. He noted that in accordance with the requirements of NJUIT’s 14th Five-Year Plan for international development and the pilot program for undergraduate vocational education, there are plans to establish the Joint Institute of Nanjing Vocational University of Industry Technology and London South Bank University. Through resource sharing and complementary advantages, NJUIT will learn from advanced educational philosophies and international teaching models, thus forging an international education brand featuring engineering disciplines as the core and specialized subjects.
The focus and content of the Dialogue reflect the key priorities and focal points of vocational education development. It is not only a practical implementation of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, but also a catalyst for promoting exchanges and cooperation in the integration of industry and vocational education between China and the UK. This dialogue session is significant, unified, inclusive, innovative, and of high quality, whose success will undoubtedly promote inspiration, consolidate wisdom, exchange experiences, integrate resources, advance the Integration of Industry and Vocational Education” between China and the UK, and contribute valuable Chinese wisdom and experience of vocational education to the global community.
The event is co-organized by China Wisdom Engineering Association, the British Embassy in China, the Education and Skills Agency of the Department for Business and Trade (UK), the Northern Ireland Bureau of the British Embassy in China, the Vocational Education Committee of China Wisdom Engineering Association, and Beijing Vocational Transportation College, with the support of Shitong Kewen (Beijing) Consulting Co., Ltd.
Keynote speech by Xie Yonghua
Meeting in Progress
(International Education College
Edit / Chu Yang
Review / Zhang Haining)
