Innovation Empowers the Future, Skills Enlighten New Lives

Today, government officials, industry elites, corporate representatives, and education experts from over 100 countries have gathered here to discuss the development of global vocational and technical education and to draw a blueprint for high-quality development collaboratively. I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the guests and friends.

President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to vocational education. In his congratulatory letter to the first session of this conference, he pointed out that vocational education is closely connected with economic and social development. It plays a significant role in promoting employment and entrepreneurship, fostering economic growth, and enhancing people’s well-being. China is actively promoting the high-quality development of vocational education and supports international exchange and cooperation in this field. China is also willing to work with countries around the world to strengthen mutual learning, share benefits, and jointly implement the Global Development Initiative, contributing to the accelerated implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In September this year, President Xi Jinping further emphasized at the National Education Conference the need to deepen the opening up of education to the outside world, coordinating both the “bringing in” and “going out” strategies. He called for the improvement of international cooperation mechanisms that integrate education with industry and promote collaboration between schools and enterprises, setting higher standards for international exchange and cooperation in vocational education.

Just now, Secretary Chen Min’er and Vice Chairman Wang Dongming delivered speeches that were both visionary and sincere, expressing high expectations for vocational education to support high-quality economic and social development and to serve the comprehensive development of individuals. Our aim in hosting the 2024 World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference is to focus on the theme “Innovation Empowers the Future, Skills Enlighten New Lives”, to widely gather wisdom, effectively build consensus, and work together to promote the high-quality development of global vocational education, contributing to stronger, greener, and healthier global development.

Education is the foundation for building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation. The key to China’s development and revitalization lies in transforming its large population into abundant human resources, using the talent dividend to propel Chinese-style modernization. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese government has consistently regarded education as a national priority and a priority for the Party. It has made significant decisions to deeply implement the strategy of reinvigorating the country through science and education and to accelerate the modernization of education. Education is considered a strategic priority for China’s national development.

Through sustained efforts, China has established the world’s largest education system, achieving a historic leap in the level of educational accessibility. The gross enrollment rate in higher education has exceeded 60 %, and the basic balance of compulsory education has been achieved across counties. Student financial aid has covered all educational stages, totalling 1.4 billion instances. The average years of education for new labor force entrants have reached 14.2 years, with over 240 million people having attained a college-level education. More than 4.3 million international students have come to China, and agreements on mutual recognition of academic degrees have been signed with 59 countries and regions. The construction of a strong educational nation has made solid progress, providing a continuous supply of high-quality talent for the comprehensive advancement of Chinese-style modernization and the great cause of national rejuvenation.

On the new journey of building a strong educational nation, no type of education can be absent. Developing modern vocational education is not only an essential requirement for building a strong education system but also a vital pillar for promoting high-quality economic and social development and achieving common prosperity. In recent years, the concept proposed by President Xi Jinping that “vocational education has broad prospects and great potential” has gained widespread recognition among the Chinese public and the international community. We are committed to comprehensively deepening vocational education reform, focusing on people, driven by demand, and strengthening the construction of the four key elements: systems, frameworks, quality, and environment. This will enhance the high-level capacity of vocational education and the high-quality integration of industry and education.

We consider system development as the fundamental guarantee for the development of modern vocational education, advocating efficient governance with a system-first approach. Systems are fundamental, holistic, and long-term. We have revised and implemented a new “Vocational Education Law of the People’s Republic of China” to provide strong legal protection for the development of vocational education. We have increased policy support by issuing a series of policy documents, such as the “Opinions on Deepening the Construction and Reform of Modern Vocational Education System”, to lay a solid foundation for the framework of vocational education.

We promote mechanism development by advancing new model pilots of provincial modern vocational education systems, implementing local governments’ primary responsibility for coordinating vocational education development, and supporting the broad and equal participation of social forces in vocational education. We regard system development as strategic support for the development of modern vocational education, which is an important foundation for its efficient operation and sustainable development. We have established an extensive vocational education system, with more than 11,000 vocational schools of various levels and types, offering over 1,300 majors and more than 120,000 specialty areas. There are over 30 million students enrolled, covering all fields and professions of China’s economic and social development.

We have deeply advanced the integration of industry and education to meet the requirements of new industrialization by establishing 34 city-based industry-education partnerships and 2 industry-education integration communities. This effectively enhances the alignment between high-skilled talent cultivation and local economic and social development, as well as the adaptability to the development needs of industries and enterprises.

We are opening up pathways for talent development by promoting the integration and seamless connection between vocational education and general education. This allows students with diverse aptitudes to discover the development path that truly suits them, enabling everyone to have a bright and successful future.

Quality is the core pursuit of modern vocational education development, as it is the key to enhancing the competitiveness of vocational education. We are advancing the construction of essential educational capacities and driving systemic reform of five critical elements: majors, courses, teaching materials, faculty, and practical training bases. This effort aims to shift talent development from mere knowledge transfer to the cultivation of comprehensive skills.

We are implementing AI-enabled vocational education in line with the requirements of integration, intelligence, and internationalization, adhering to an application-first approach and system integration. We are iteratively upgrading the Smart Education of China platform for vocational education. Many ministers, school principals, and teachers from various countries are keenly interested in how China’s vocational education can be more practice-oriented and serve industry development, as well as how it can better embrace new technologies and enhance cognitive and practical abilities through modern digital and green education. AI, along with digital and green education, is a key focus of China’s vocational education reform, empowered by innovation.

We actively promote international cooperation in vocational education, sharing China’s development experience and achievements in vocational education with over 70 countries and regions worldwide. We have established 34 Luban Workshops, 52 Silk Road Schools, 20 Zheng He Colleges, 17 Modern Craftsman Colleges, 38 Banmo Institutes, and several engineering and technology universities. These institutions train urgently needed skilled talent in host countries, supporting the high-quality joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

We regard environmental development as a fundamental pillar for advancing modern vocational education. It is well known that education and the environment have a mutually reinforcing relationship, a dynamic that is particularly evident in vocational education.

We are committed to promoting equal opportunities by increasing support from industries, finance, employment, and society, and enhancing funding for vocational education. We actively work to ensure that vocational school graduates enjoy the same treatment as general school graduates in terms of employment, entrepreneurship, and career development.

We are fostering a positive environment by hosting the Vocational Education Activity Week for ten consecutive years and the National Vocational College Skills Competition for sixteen consecutive years. These events promote the spirit of model workers, the spirit of labor, and the spirit of craftsmanship, inspiring more young people to pursue the path of achieving success through skills and serving the country with their expertise.

We continue to increase government investment, establishing a comprehensive support system led by the government with active participation from schools and society. By 2025, we will further raise the national scholarship standards for secondary vocational schools and expand the scope of support. A number of outstanding entrepreneurs and multinational companies are actively supporting and participating in the development of vocational education. Shortly, we will also hear a report from a renowned entrepreneur from China.

Practice has fully demonstrated that vocational education is closely linked to economic and social development. It plays a vital role in cultivating diverse talent, passing on technical skills, and promoting employment and entrepreneurship. Vocational education serves as a major channel for skill transformation, a fundamental means for improving people’s livelihoods, a key pathway for fostering new productive forces, and a vital force in supporting economic and social development and pursuing modernization.

At the same time, we are fully aware that the development of vocational education faces numerous challenges, including industrial structural transformation, social structural adjustments, and demographic shifts. Issues such as insufficient industry-education integration, inadequate convergence between vocational and general education, and limited social recognition persist. Addressing these challenges will remain our unwavering focus in the next phase of our efforts.

The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. A new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating, intertwining the fates of nations and uniting humanity in a shared future. The greater the turbulence of the times, the more essential it is for countries to work together and move forward in solidarity. The more globalization faces headwinds, the more countries need openness, trust, and cooperation to overcome difficulties. What we truly need is not to shut doors, build walls, decouple and sever ties, but to build bridges, pave roads, and weather the storm together in the same boat. The changes in the world are driving transformation in the field of education. Vocational education must keep pace with the trends of the times, uphold the essence of education, and maintain its distinct characteristics. It must anchor its development in the context of current opportunities and challenges, seeking innovative breakthroughs amidst crises and opportunities, and achieve “5-I” education: Inclusive, Industry-Oriented, Innovative, Intelligent, and International.

Vocational education should be an inclusive form of education that lights up the path to a bright future for everyone. Currently, 50 % of the global workforce needs to upskill or reskill to remain competitive, and according to the World Economic Forum, this figure is expected to rise to 90 % by 2030. Skill reshaping will become the new norm for lifelong personal development, and society will evolve into a learning society that embraces lifelong learning. Whether you are an explorer passionate about engineering and technology, a creator with unique insights into art and design, a doer eager to excel in manufacturing, or a contributor dedicated to shining in the service industry, vocational education can provide suitable development paths. It makes the revolving door between learning and the workplace, as well as the charging station for lifelong learning, more accessible and convenient, opening the door to success for young people everywhere. It is truly education for everyone.

Vocational education should be industry-oriented, igniting economic vitality. A country’s basic education determines the breadth of its cultural and knowledge inheritance, while higher education influences and even determines the height of its innovation and creativity. Vocational education and the integration of industry and education influence and even determine the acceleration of high-quality economic and social development at regional and national levels. It plays a crucial role in enhancing productivity, nurturing new productive forces, promoting industrial upgrading, and accelerating the recovery of the global economy from stagnation.

International organizations such as UNESCO, the World Bank, and the International Labor Organization have all emphasized viewing the development of vocational education as a key strategy for promoting employment and entrepreneurship, advancing international capacity cooperation, and achieving national sustainable development. Developing vocational education requires a steadfast focus on market demands, industry needs, and practical requirements. It should follow the path of industry-education integration, adopt a school-enterprise cooperation model, and employ a work-study combination approach to education. The goal is to establish a vocational education layout system that aligns with regional development and is compatible with industry growth.

Vocational education should be innovation-oriented education, lighting the path to the future. Throughout the long course of human history, whether focusing on technologies that address basic human survival needs or creations that combine practicality and aesthetics, countless skilled craftsmen have been active on the front lines of production and at the forefront of innovation and creativity. With their intelligence and pursuit of excellence, they have created the treasures of human civilization. Vocational education was born out of historical transformations and will continue to develop through future innovations, persistently exploring new possibilities, new heights, and new levels of excellence, from nothing to something, from good to better, and from better to best. Therefore, vocational education is innovation education.

Vocational education should be intelligence-oriented education, illuminating the wisdom of transformation. AI is gradually taking the center stage in technological and industrial transformation, and those who fail to effectively utilize AI risk falling behind. For education, AI is not just a strategic consideration but a strategic, systemic, and game-changing force that influences and even determines the high-quality development of education, profoundly reshaping educational systems and ecosystems. Vocational education must embrace the intelligent era, accelerating digital and green transformation to truly empower teachers in teaching, students in learning, and schools in management and governance, as well as in educational research.

Vocational education should also be international education, illuminating the community of a shared future for mankind. Skills are the common language that connects all of humanity, not only lighting up individual hopes but also forming a brilliant starry sky on the journey of our shared destiny. They transcend borders, regions, races, and cultures, representing values and abilities recognized worldwide. Vocational education is increasingly becoming an important platform and track for educational exchange and cooperation among countries, building a stage for self-presentation, personal competition, and greater resilience globally. The Luban Workshops, pioneered in Tianjin, the host city of this conference, have become skill hubs along the Belt and Road, bringing Chinese vocational education technology and standards to regions such as ASEAN, Central Asia, and Africa, benefiting local people and serving as an important window for connecting Chinese vocational education with the world.

Today, we have invited political leaders, vocational institutions, and business partners from around the world to gather in Tianjin, China, to jointly chart the course for global vocational education amidst the waves of change. We aim to implement the three major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping: the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. Together, we will build and share six international public service products for vocational education: conferences, league, awards, competitions, exhibitions, and publications. These efforts will inject new momentum into global vocational education exchange and cooperation, making new contributions.

First, bring together brilliant minds to successfully organize a grand event by regularly hosting the World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference.

We use the conference as a course to set clear directions and boldly navigate the waves of vocational education development. We will host the World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference every two years to jointly discuss hot topics in the field of vocational education, share successful experience in vocational education development from various countries, and envision the future development of global vocational education.

Second, work together in unity to pursue development by establishing the World Technical and Vocational Education and Training League.

We use the league as a rudder to coordinate and steer the direction of vocational education. It was a pleasure to see the successful convening of the league’s first general assembly yesterday afternoon. The initial membership of the league includes 89 units, comprising 33 from China and 56 from other countries, spanning five continents and consisting of institutions, enterprises, associations, and industry organizations. We will continue to expand the league’s network, promote its operational institutionalization, and establish it as a bridge and link for exchanging ideas and sharing experience in global vocational education.

Third, inspire innovation and create a shared future by establishing the first World Technical and Vocational Education and Training Prize (World TVET Prize).

We will use this prize as a beacon to illuminate the path ahead and inspire excellence in vocational education. The establishment of this award is not only affirmation and appreciation of the hard work of the recipients but also encouragement and motivation for the global vocational education community. The first World Technical and Vocational Education and Training Prize will be presented at the closing ceremony of tomorrow’s conference sessions to inspire more passion and creativity of vocational education professionals. This initiative seeks innovative solutions for vocational education worldwide, jointly promoting the prosperity and development of global vocational education.

Fourth, unleash potential and strive together by upgrading the World Vocational College Skills Competition.

We use the competition as a sailboat, capturing the winds of opportunity, and enhance vocational education skills. Starting this year, the National Vocational College Skills Competition will be upgraded to a world-class event, with 1,280 students from 73 countries registered to participate. The competition provides a platform for vocational college students from around the world to showcase their technical expertise and exchange skills with one another. It fosters the sharing of experience, the refinement of skills, cultural exchange, the strengthening of friendships, and the building of trust among students from different countries, thereby promoting the spread and advancement of global skills education.

Fifth, showcase talents and build dreams by organizing the World Vocational and Technical Education Special Exhibition.

We use the special exhibition as a deck to showcase achievements and gather the essence of global vocational education. Before the conference, we visited the exhibition together, where the technological achievements in the tech industry were awe-inspiring and the meticulous attention to public services was heartwarming. During each conference, we will simultaneously host the vocational education special exhibition to demonstrate the important role and latest achievements of vocational education in aligning with the times, advancing with the economy, and resonating with people’s livelihoods. We welcome everyone to visit the exhibition during the conference, engage in discussions on development, and collaboratively create the future.

Sixth, share achievements and co-create experience by establishing World Vocational and Technical Education.

We use the journal as a record to share experience and achievements, spreading the seeds of wisdom in vocational education. We have established the international journal World Vocational and Technical Education as an important platform for the global vocational education community to exchange research findings, share policy information, and academic ideas. This enables academic achievements to provide theoretical foundations and innovative approaches for policy-making, while policy implementation offers practical grounds and problem-oriented perspectives for academic research, thereby contributing to the cooperation and joint development of vocational education across countries.

Let’s set sail with confidence in the wind as we navigate the vast expanse of our journey. We are willing to join hands with everyone to accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, pushing vocational education beyond the constraints of traditional thinking and national borders. It will become a powerful driving force for high-quality economic and social development and comprehensive human development in all countries. It will also serve as an effective tool and reliable pillar in addressing global challenges, solving contemporary issues, and promoting human progress. Together, we will enhance the governance capacity of global vocational education, support the sustainable development of economies and societies worldwide, and jointly create a better future for humanity.

Finally, I would like to thank UNESCO for its strong support of this conference, and extend special thanks to Tianjin for its meticulous preparations. I also want to thank all the guests and friends. We welcome you to explore more of China, to see and experience it, fostering mutual understanding and strengthening trust. I wish you all a successful exchange and a pleasant stay in China. Thank you!