As a thematic event of the 2024 Global Smart Education Conference (GSE 2024), the TVET Leadership and Management Programme: Promoting Digital Transformation of TVET for Sustainable Rural Development was successfully held on August 17-24, 2024. The workshop was co-organized by UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (UNESCO INRULED), Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Technical Education Development (SEAMEO TED), UNESCO Chair on AI in Education, UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia (UNESCO Beijing), China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), and Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University (BNU). The programme also received support from partners including China Institute of Education and Social Development and Faculty of Education of BNU, as well as Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and the Education Bureau of Lin’an District, Hangzhou, and Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University (ZAFU).
TVET is a crucial component of the Southeast Asian education agenda and a key area for China-Southeast Asia international educational cooperation and exchanges. In the digital age, advancing the digital transformation of TVET is essential for achieving balanced allocation of educational resources, promoting educational equity, quality and innovation, facilitating talent cultivation, and supporting rural revitalization. In this context, this workshop takes the theme of “Promoting Digital Transformation of TVET for Sustainable Rural Development” and brought together policymakers, experts, scholars, TVET school principals and representatives from international organizations in Southeast Asia and China to discuss topics including digital technologies to empower TVET, skill transformation in the digital era, cultivation of innovative and entrepreneurial talents, and TVET for sustainable rural development. Through activities including closed-door discussions, presentations and speeches, group discussions, field exchanges and visits, the programme aims to enhance the leadership of TVET stakeholders in promoting sustainable rural development and to facilitate policy dialogue, practice sharing and theoretical exploration between China and Southeast Asian countries in the field of education development and rural revitalization.
In the afternoon of August 18, the Opening Symposium and Partnership Meeting of the TVET Programme was held at the BNU Changping Campus. Dr. ZHAO Yuchi, Executive Director of UNESCO INRULED, Dr. Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, Director of SEAMEO Secretariat, Mr. Robert Parua, Education Specialist of the UNESCO Beijing and Prof LI Yanyan, Deputy Director of Smart Learning Institute of BNU delivered welcoming remarks. Mr. Khat Prumsochetra, Deputy Director of SEAMEO TED and Prof. WANG Libing, Chief of Section for Education of UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok delivered keynote speeches.
At the Country Reports session, representatives from China and Southeast Asian countries including Prof BAI Bin, Deputy Director of Institute of Vocational and Adult Education of BNU, Mr. Mom Say, Head of Academic Office of National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia (NPIC), Prof. Dr. Hj. Ana, Vice Dean of Faculty of Technical and Vocational Education and Dr. Iwan Kustiawan, Head of Electrical Engineering Study Program and Head of TVET Research Centre of University Pendidikan of Indonesia, Mr. Mohd Asyraf Bin Md. Sum, Deputy Director of the Student Intake and Development Division at the Department of Polytechnic And Community College Education of the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia, Dr. Pattarada Rungruang, Vice President of Attawit Commercial Technology College of Thailand, Asso. Prof. Dr. Le My Ha, Vice Dean of Faculty of Electrical Electronic Engineering of Ho Chi Minh City of University of Technology and Education of Vietnam, and Dr. Mary Jane M. Gonzales, Principal IV, DepED-Padre Garcia Integrated National High School of the Philippines, shared national policies and good cases of digital transformation of vocational and technical education to promote sustainable rural development and their institution introductions. The delegation also had a discussion and consultation on INRULED’s “Learning Village in the Digital Era” programme.
On August 18-20 in Beijing, workshop representatives attended the Opening Ceremony of the GSE 2024 and joined the Forum on Smart Villages and Education for Rural Transformation, with country case studies further shared at the Round-table Discussion session. The panelists include Ms. Supriatin Dra from Indonesia, Mr. Ahmad Fakhrurazi bin Haji Hamzah from Malaysia, Dr. Carina C. Untalasco from the Philippines, Mrs. Puttachard Suphalucksana from Thailand and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Phong from Vietnam.
Participants also visited Alibaba Group and Tsinghua University High-tech Hub, exploring issues such as digital technologies to empower rural education and development and university science park’s role in promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and industry development.
On August 21-23, the delegation visited Lin’an District of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province for a field study. They visited locations such as the Lin’an District Vocational Education Center and Rural Revitalization Documentation Hall of ZAFU to learn about the innovative practices in education that promotes sustainable rural development. The delegation also explored new and innovative industry development in places such as the Bainiu Village, the E-commerce Town in Changhua Township and the Rural Homestay and Resort in Xiangjian Village of Longgang Township. Through interactions and group discussions with rural innovation and entrepreneurship leaders, the delegation gained a deeper understanding of Lin’an practices in harnessing overseas innovative and entrepreneurial talents to support rural revitalization. During the visit, issues such as education transformation, talent needs and skill transformation needed for rural revitalization in the digital era, and the role and contribution of TVET for sustainable rural development are reflected and discussed.
In the morning of August 23, the Partnership Meeting for Education for Rural Development and TVET Leadership and Management Programme Closing Ceremony was held in Lin’an, Hangzhou. Prof. ZHOU Zuoyu, Director of UNESCO INRUELD, Mr. Khat Prumsochetra, Deputy Director of SEAMEO TED, Ms. AN Yan, Deputy Secretary General of China Education Association for International Exchange and Ms. QIAN Meixian, Director of the Standing Committee of the Lin’an District People’s Congress, delivered welcome remarks. Dr ZHAO Yuchi, Executive Director of UNESCO INRULED, Ms. XU Lingdi, Chairman of the Hangzhou Municipal Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, and Ms. CHEN Na, Director of the United Front Work of Lin’an District, Hangzhou, attended the meeting. Representatives of Li’an District Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau and Education Bureau and ZAFU shared related work on promoting “education for rural development”.
At the meeting, representatives from five Southeast Asian countries, including Ms. Sreng Kanha from Cambodia, Ms. Supriatin Dra from Indonesia, Ms. Intan Keristina binti Mohd Yusop from Malaysia, Dr. Jutamanee Kraikunasai from Thailand, and Asso. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Phong from Vietnam shared their reflections and summaries of the programme. At the meeting, the ZAFU, Lin’an District Vocational Education Centre and 2 local enterprises signed memorandums of cooperation with Southeast Asian partners.
Mr. Robert Parua, Education Specialist at UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia and Ms. CHEN Na, Representative of Lin’an District Government, concluded the workshop with wishes to promote international exchanges and cooperation between China and Southeast Asian countries in the field of TVET and education for rural revitalization. After the meeting, the delegation also visited local enterprises such as Hangcha Group and Xizi Elevator.
The workshop promoted international exchanges, academic discussions and strategic cooperation between China and Southeast Asian countries in the field of TVET and rural transformation. Through mutual learning and exchanges, capacity development, partnership building and networking, the programme serves to promote collaborative efforts for a brighter future for TVET and rural development and accelerate the realization of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.