On November 16, Shaanxi Polytechnic Institute (SXPI) successfully held the 2021international symposium on high-quality development of modern vocational education. With the theme of“building a vocational education system with collaboration, diversity and resilience”,the symposium invited government officials, TVET organizations and college leaders to publicize the successful experience of vocational education, promote international exchanges and cooperation and seek the new chapter of international communication.
Instructed by Belt& Road International Education Exchange, China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), co-organized by Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiārangi, New Zealand, and supported by UNESCO International Occupation Education Center, the New Zealand Education International Promotion Bureau, Fudan University, China, etc., it’s open to the global TVET communities through both online and offline platform. SXPI President, Mr. Liu Yongliang, Deputy Party Secretary, Mr. Tian Hao, corresponding main leaders from different teaching units of SXPI, representative teachers and students attended the offline symposium.Nearly 500 representatives from 13 countries and regions attended the conference online.
Mr. Liu Yongliang
Mr. Liu Yongliang pointed out in his speech that the internationalization of education was an important strategic consensus for the development of education across the globe. Under the background of economic globalization, “Internet plus” and industrial transformation and upgrading, TVET education had meet new opportunities and challenges. For TVET institutions, it’s of high importance to absorb and learn from international advanced experience, participate in international academic research, standard development and policy dialogue, work together to deal with common problems faced by the world’s vocational education reform, and explore new ways of international cooperation in TVET education in the new era. He believed that this international conference could promote the collision among TVET institutions both domestically and internationally and expected that a consensus could be reached to achieve mutual benefit.
Prof. Chen Zhimin
Prof. Chen Zhimin, Chair of Belt & Road International Education Exchange, CEAIE, and Vice President of Fudan University, China, delivered a video speech. He stated that TVET education had great potential in the “Belt and Road” initiative. To build a high-quality TVET education system, it’s essential to uphold the concept of openness, serve the national strategy actively, adhere to the principle of combining “Going out” and “Bring in”, and train high-quality skilled personnel for “Belt and Road” construction. As the Deputy Secretary General Unit of the Branch, Shaanxi Polytechnic Institute was an outstanding representative of TVET institutions. The branch would help to set up a new benchmark for the internationalization of vocational education with the joint efforts of TVET institutions.
Mr. Karl Wixon
Mr. Karl Wixon, Kaitohu Matua Māori for Education NZ Manapou ki te Ao , introduced the new ideas of New Zealand Ministry of Education on the development of modern TVET education. He hoped that TVET institutions could adapt to the new challenges with the normalization trend of COVID-19 pandemic, and adopt more flexible education methods, such as online education and virtual reality, to seek a breakthrough in TVET education. Besides, he looked forward to a closer cooperation among TVET institutions to further promote a high-quality development of TVET education.
The 2021 symposium mainly contains 5 keynote speakers.Focusing on the key words of“collaboration, diversity and resilience”, they delivered detailed speeches from various beneficial perspectives.
Mr. Craig Robertson, CEO Skills for Victoria, Former Chair, World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics
The Challenges Ahead for TVET and the Ways Collaboration
Dr. Benjamin Tak-Yuen Chan, Dean of the Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education, Hong Kong Metropolitan University
The Total Learning Experience: A Unifying Educational Philosophy
Mr. Artem Kononov,Associate Professor, Department of Tourism and Ecology, Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service, Russia
New Approaches to Collaboration: Case of Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service
Mr. Aji Wicaksono,Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), Regional Open Learning Centre (SEAMOLEC), South Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality examples from a SEAMEO Regional Open Learning Centre
Prof. John Clayton, Tokorau Indigenous Innovation Institute, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, New Zealand
Technologies and Diversity: Contextualising the Learning Experiences of Learners
The successful holding of 2021 symposium built an international exchange and cooperation platform, which was of great significance to promote China’s TVET education to participate in the world TVET education dialogue.
