SNAEIA Joined The "Belt and Road" International Seminar on Reform and Development of Vocational Education (Shenyang) and The Signing Ceremony of "Shenyang Agreement" and "Mozi Workshop"

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the "Belt and Road" initiative and in order to learn and implement President Xi Jinping's important discourse on promoting high-quality development of the "Belt and Road," vigorously promote the internationalization of vocational education, serve international capacity cooperation, as well as greatly strengthen practical cooperation in vocational education with "Belt and Road" countries, The "Belt and Road" International Seminar on Reform and Development of Vocational Education (Shenyang) (hereafter: the Seminar) was held on September 27, 2023, in Shenyang, Liaoning Province. SNAEIA was invited to participate in the conference. It was hosted by the Education Department of Liaoning Province, hosted by Liaoning Provincial College of Communications, and co-sponsored by 14 higher education institutions in the province.

On the afternoon of September 26, the roundtable meeting of the Seminar was held. The meeting was chaired by Gao Xianghui, Deputy Director of the Education Department of Liaoning Province. Representatives from 20 Chinese education administrative departments, colleges & universities, industry associations, and societies discussed the relevant terms of the proposed "Shenyang Agreement" and the development plan for vocational education professional accreditation in Liaoning Province.

The Seminar was held grandly on the morning of September 27, which was chaired by Wang Qingdong, Director of the Education Department of Liaoning Province. Lin Yu, Deputy Director of the Department of Vocational and Adult Education of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, delivered a speech, and Jia Peng, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, delivered a video speech. Representatives from 4 countries, including Sierra Leone, Tunisia, Russia, and Mongolia, also delivered speeches. The speech by Mr. Ali Benzarti, Vice Chairman of SNAEIA, received high praise from the leaders and delegates present.

In his speech, Vice Chairman Ali Benzarti introduced the national profile and higher education system of Tunisia and the contribution of Sino-Tunisian international education cooperation to the "Belt and Road" initiative. Mr. Ali Benzarti stated that the friendship between China and Tunisia has a long history, and the ancient Silk Road has witnessed the friendship between the two countries. The cooperation between our two countries in various fields has yielded fruitful results, continuously benefiting the people of both countries. In the era of globalization, international cooperation and coordinated development in vocational education require joint efforts among vocational education institutions in various countries, sharing successful educational concepts and practices, and promoting common prosperity and development.

During the keynote address session of the Seminar, Mr. Huang Hui, Deputy Director of the Vocational Education Development Center of the Ministry of Education, along with 11 expert representatives from 10 countries including China, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Germany, Indonesia, South Korea, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, and the United Kingdom, delivered keynote speeches. These experts shared insights from various perspectives on the importance of international vocational education cooperation and practical initiatives aimed at promoting collaborative innovation in vocational education.

In the afternoon of the same day, during the "Higher Vocational Education Professional Accreditation Forum" and the "Vocational Education 'Going Global' Overseas Education Exchange and Cooperation Forum," several representatives, including Li Zhiyi, former President of Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, National Inspector, and Director of the Conclusion Advisory Committee of China Engineering Education Accreditation, delivered speeches.

At the signing ceremony of the "Shenyang Agreement," Dr. Chen Lu, Secretary-General of SNAEIA, and representatives of 13 national societies and industry associations, including the Liaoning Association of Vocational and Technical Education, jointly signed the agreement, marking the start of a new phase of cooperation agreement implementation.

During the signing ceremony of the "Mozi Workshop" cooperation, SNAEIA Tunisian Monastir ICT Industry "Mozi Workshop"  signed cooperation agreements for the first batch of 10 "Mozi Workshop" projects with Russia, Mongolia, Cambodia, Ghana, Laos, Thailand, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

The "Mozi Workshop" adheres to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly implements President Xi Jinping's important instructions on vocational education and the spirit of his important speeches during inspections in Northeast China and Liaoning, comprehensively implements the concept of new development, serves international capacity cooperation, adheres to the principles of joint consultation, construction, and sharing, follows the demand-driven, integrates industry and education, tailors to local conditions, and promotes sustainable development. It fully leverages the advantages of vocational education resources, focuses on modern agriculture, advanced manufacturing, modern services, and other fields. Through the "Mozi Workshop" as a platform, it vigorously promotes the internationalization of vocational education, training a large number of high-quality international technical and skilled talents who are proficient in advanced technology and familiar with industry standards for "Belt and Road" countries.

At the end of the conference, Wang Qingdong, Director of the Education Department of Liaoning Province, released the "Liaoning Declaration."

The successful holding of this Seminar highlights the profound significance of internationalizing vocational education and has important guiding significance for strengthening international exchanges and cooperation in vocational education, promoting innovation and development in vocational education. SNAEIA is willing to work together with all parties, continue to play the role of a bridge and link, promote international cooperation and exchanges in vocational education between China and other countries, and contribute more wisdom and strength to the global innovation and development of vocational education.