VTC Attends the World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference for the First Time Showcasing the Achievements and Uniqueness of Vocational and Professional Education and Training in Hong Kong

The 2024 World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference, jointly organised by the Ministry of Education, the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, and the Tianjin Municipal Government, took place in Tianjin, China from 20 to 22 November 2024. With the theme of “Innovation Empowers the Future, Skills Enlighten New Life”, the Conference featured a diverse array of activities, including the ministerial roundtable, a thematic exhibition, parallel sessions, the World Vocational College Skills Competition Championship Finals and the inauguration ceremony of the World Vocational and Technical Education and Training League (World TVET League).

The event attracted over 1,200 participants, including over 600 international participants from more than 100 countries and regions. Attendees of the Conference included government officials, heads of provincial and municipal educational and related departments, foreign government representatives and diplomats in China, as well as leaders from international organisations and education institutions. This gathering provided an invaluable opportunity to strengthen international exchange and collaboration in vocational education, showcase achievements in talent development and skills innovation, and highlight the contribution of vocational education in industrial upgrades and regional development.

The World TVET League was also launched during the Conference, in which representatives from the VTC attended the inauguration ceremony and the first general assembly as the first and only member from Hong Kong. Professor Raymond SO, principal of the School for Higher and Professional Education of VTC, was also invited to deliver a speech on “Vocational Education and Lifelong Learning” and engage in discussions with representatives from various institutions about the continuous development of vocational and professional education and training (VPET) at one of the parallel sessions. 

Additionally, the VTC also hosted a booth at the concurrent World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference Thematic Exhibition to showcase the excellence of VPET development in Hong Kong, VTC’s latest developments and collaborations with Mainland and overseas partners, student achievements, and the Vocational Professionals Admission Scheme (VPAS) — an initiative promulgated by the HKSAR Government aimed at attracting non-local students to remain in Hong Kong upon graduation to work in a skilled trade relevant to their programme of study. Through participation in this Conference, VTC promoted VPET in Hong Kong to visitors from various countries and regions, enhanced brand awareness, exchanged ideas on innovative development of VPET and explored collaboration opportunities with guests from around the world, all aimed at further advancing the development of VPET.