On June 27-28, 2023, UNESCO Chair on Digitalization in TVET & UNEVOC Center at Shenzhen Polytechnic and UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office jointly held the “Launch Meeting of The Study on The Use of Digital Technologies in Post-Secondary TVET Institutions in The Asean+3 Countries”.The meeting was conducted in a combination of online and offline formats. TVET officials and experts from UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office, seven ASEAN countries, and China's Ministry of Education gathered in Shenzhen, while TVET experts from South Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore participated online. The meeting focused on how digital technologies empowers TVET teachers, aiming to promote the digital transformation of TVET systems in East Asia and Southeast Asia regions.
The meeting was organized in two days. On the first day, the meeting covered the “Welcoming Remarks,” “Presentations,” “Country Sharing of TVET Experiences on Digitalization of TVET,” and “Campus Learning Tour of Shenzhen Polytechnic” etc. The opening session was addressed by Dr. Prof. XU Jianling, the President of Shenzhen Polytechnic, and Dr. Prof. Libing Wang, the Acting Director of UNESCO Bangkok. Dr. Prof. YANG Xinbin, the UNESCO Chair Holder and Board Chairman of SZPT, China, as well as Mr. Ansgar Maria Schaefer, Integrated Expert (SEA-TVET) and SEAMEO Secretariat, and Ms. Hartini Binti Haji Mashod, Research Officer at SEAMEO-Voctech, delivered speeches on the digital transformation of TVET in China and the TVET initiatives in the ASEAN Region. Dr. Prof. Libing Wang, the Acting Director of UNESCO Bangkok, and Mr. Benjamin Vergel de Dios, Programme Specialist, EISD Unit, UNESCO Bangkok, delivered presentations on the research objectives and literature review of the applied research project. During the “Country Sharing of TVET Experiences on Digitalization of TVET” session, experts from different countries shared their respective paths and case studies on the digital transformation of TVET. Afterwards, experts from various countries visited the Smart Classrooms and VR simulation centers in School of Electronic and Communication Engineering, the New Energy Vehicle Training Center in School of Automotive and Transportation Engineering, the Industry 4.0 Training Center in School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and the Entrepreneurship Space in School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The following morning, experts from different countries attended discussions on two main topics: tracking and monitoring the digitalization process of TVET and collaboration between countries. In the afternoon, all attending experts visited Tencent on a research tour.
（Dr. Prof. XU Jianling, President of Shenzhen Polytechnic delivering a welcoming speech）
During the opening session, Dr. Prof. XU Jianling welcomed the attending experts on behalf of Shenzhen Polytechnic, China. He introduced the development history and achievements of SZPT’s cooperation in TVET, as well as a series of transformative actions in the digital era. He emphasized that Shenzhen Polytechnic actively undertook the responsibility of exploring the solutions of digital transformation in TVET and leading the innovations of the global TVET and look forward to deepening educational cooperation with ASEAN countries, Japan, and South Korea, to sharing educational technologies & resources and improving the quality of TVET and talent cultivation. Dr. Libing Wang, Acting Director of UNESCO Bangkok, expressed his gratitude to Shenzhen Polytechnic for their assistance in the successful organization of the conference. He expressed his hope that this research on the application of digital technologies in TVET would drive the digital transformation in TVET.
（Dr. Libing Wang, Acting Director of UNESCO Bangkok making an opening speech）
（Dr. Prof. YANG Xinbin, UNESCO Chair Holder and Board Chairman of SZPT, China making a presentation）
During the Presentations session, Dr. Prof. YANG Xinbin made a presentation on “Promoting Quality TVET Development by Leveraging Emerging Opportunities in Digital Transformation.” He used five key words, namely, “Youth, Green, Innovation, Openness, and Vitality”, to comprehensively introduce the city of Shenzhen.Subsequently, starting from the background of China's digital development, he elaborated on four SZPT strategies to seize new digitalization opportunities and promote digital transformation. These strategies include: focusing on “DT of TVET + Manufacturing Industries” to serve the high-end manufacturing industry; focusing on “DT of TVET + Localization” to serve the domestic technology development; focusing on “DT of TVET + New Ecology” to serve the high-end development in TVET; and focusing on “DT of TVET + Global Networks” to serve a new global TVET. Representatives from various countries asked questions about SZPT’s digital transformation strategy. Dr. Prof. YANG Xinbin, starting from the perspective of school-enterprise cooperation, shared successful experiences in detail. Experts from UNESCO and various countries spoke highly of SZPT’s successful practices and achievements.
（The experts from various countries attending the conference）
During the meeting, Shenzhen Polytechnic showed promising digital transformational experiences and outcomes.Dr. Prof. XU Jianling 's speech showed Shenzhen Polytechnic's competence and practice in leading digital transformation from the construction of the education system, policy-making, and international engagement. Dr. Prof. YANG Xinbin 's report shared the Shenzhen Polytechnic's solutions in TVET digital transformation from the aspects of programme and curriculum development, transformation of practical training environment, enhancement of digital literacy for teachers and students, innovation in teaching methods, and international network development etc.During the meeting, Dr. Prof. YANG Wenming, coordinator of UNEVOC Center at Shenzhen Polytechnic, shared Shenzhen Polytechnic’s profile and project design of UNESCO Chair on Digitalization in TVET. LI Wenli and HE Xiaoqing from Education and Information Technology Center in SZPT introduced the istudy, a Shenzhen Polytechnic’s studying platform, and construction of digital campus in SZPT. The experts participating the meeting praised Shenzhen Polytechnic for its advanced digital hardware facilities and practical training environment.
With attendance of TVET officials and experts from Ministries of Education of 10 countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia as well as the experts from (SEA-TVET) SEAMEO Secretariat, this meeting witnessed Shenzhen Polytechnic’s solutions of digital transformation and Chinese perspective and was helpful to expand SZPT’s international network and impacts. During the meeting, the participating experts expressed their interests in returning Shenzhen in the future to study the advanced solutions and practices of Shenzhen Polytechnic, to promote the digital transformation and innovative development of TVET in their own countries or regions.
