On 1 August 2016, the Opening Ceremony of China-Southeast Asia Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Mobility and Networking Programme was held in the International Eco-Conference Centre, Guiyang. The event, co-sponsored by Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Secretariat, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week (CAECW) Secretariat and supported by Guizhou University was participated by over 100 principals and directors from TVET institutions of ASEAN and China. H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ACC, Dr. Gatot, Director of SEAMEO Secretariat and Prof. Jin Daochao, Vice President of Guizhou University attended the Opening Ceremony and delivered their respective remarks.
In her remarks, Secretary-General Yang Xiuping said that, as an important component of the national education system and human resource development, vocational education is of great significance to a country and an individual as well. ASEAN Member States and China have attached great significance to vocational education, in efforts not only to propel social and economic development, but also to provide tangible benefits to its people. Vocational education is also one of the ACC’s priority areas in the field of education, for which ACC has been working hard to play a bridging role through concrete programmes and activities including promoting the establishment of collaboration mechanism, facilitating the signing of MoUs between TVET institutions, organizing education exhibitions and seminars and vocational education equipment donations, etc. to boosting functional cooperation between the two sides.
Prof. Jin Daochao expressed his congratulations on the successful opening of the event. He opined that, youth plays an important role for the future development of the nation and the region. Higher education assumes the mission of talent cultivation, while vocational education serves as a basis for training practical and technical talents to meet the need of economic and social development of the country. Higher education institutions should do their best to enhance the vocational education of ASEAN and China through such functional programme in order to make new contributions to the educational exchange and cooperation between the two sides.
Dr. Gatot said that, this was the first time for SEAMEO to co-sponsor TVET activities in CAECW, for which he expressed his gratitude for ACC’s assistance and support. He briefed on SEAMEO’s role and function, stating that promoting TVET was one of the 7 priority areas for SEAMEO New Education Agenda in the year 2015 until 2035. He hoped a common development of TVET institutions of ASEAN and China through enhancing the cooperation in fields like joint projects, student mobility and digital classes between the two sides.
The two and a half-day session aims to foster mutual understanding and build cooperation between TVET institutions of China and Southeast Asian countries. The follow-up report on the progress of cooperation will be presented by both ACC and SEAMEO Secretariat in the upcoming relevant meetings of SEAMEO.