Confucius Institute Nuremberg-Erlangen Organizes Presidents of German Vocational Schools to Visit China

From May 23rd to June 2nd, a delegation of 15 presidents from vocational schools in Nuremberg, Germany visited Beijing, Hefei and Foshan to conduct in-depth exchanges with local education authorities, vocational schools and enterprises. This event was organized by the Confucius Institute Nuremberg-Erlangen.

The delegation first visited the Education Committee of Chaoyang District, Beijing to carry out in-depth exchanges on vocational education between the two countries. Gsell, 3rd Mayor of Nuremberg, and Xu Zhihui, Deputy Director of the Education Committee of Chaoyang District shared the basic information of vocational education in Germany and Chaoyang District respectively. Both sides expressed their desire to learn from each other and strengthen exchanges and cooperation.

Afterwards, the delegation and personnel from the teaching and research center visited Beijing Qiushi Vocational School (Tuanjiehu Campus, Anzhen Campus) and Beijing Electrical Engineering School (Guanzhuang Campus). What impressed the delegation most was the simulated kindergartens, bank simulation training bases, intelligent bank training bases, and school-enterprise co-building and shared training bases.

Visiting Beijing Qiushi Vocational School

At the second stop in Hefei, the delegation attended the opening ceremony of the German Center (Hefei) of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). Song Guoquan, Member of the Standing Committee of the Anhui Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Hefei Municipal Party Committee, Ling Yun, Deputy Secretary of the Hefei Municipal Party Committee and Mayor also attended the event and met with the delegation. The two sides expressed their hope to use the platform set up by BFSU to deepen exchanges and cooperation as a way to deliver mutual benefits and win-win results.

Opening ceremony of the German Center (Hefei) of Beijing Foreign Studies University

After the ceremony, the delegation participated in the “China-Germany Vocational Education Experience Exchange Conference” organized by the Hefei Municipal Government. Ling Yun said at the meeting that, in 1984, both sides decided to jointly build Hefei College and carry out applied vocational higher education cooperation. For more than 30 years, rich experience has been accumulated and remarkable achievements achieved. By virtue of the visit paid by the delegation of presidents of Germany vocational schools to Hefei and the experience exchange conference jointly held with Chinese counterparts, it was hoped that both sides could learn from each other and deepen cooperation.

At the meeting, the two sides introduced their respective history of development and achievements in terms of vocational education. The delegation highly praised the achievements made on Hefei vocational education in terms of quality resources, effective management, and training of highly-competent talents.

In addition, the delegation of presidents respectively visited Hefei Economic and Trade Tourism School, Hefei University, Innovative and Venture Bases of Hefei Vocational School and Jianghuai Automotive Company, learned about the current situation of majors establishment and training of modern manufacturing technology, finance and economy, tourism as well as commerce and trade of school in detail, and gave full credit for the development of vocational education and the achievements made in university-industry cooperation in Hefei.

Visiting Jianghuai Automotive (Hefei)

Upon arrival in Foshan, the delegation enjoyed warm welcome from Yujin, Vice Mayor of Foshan. She said, this project of visiting China builds an important platform for friendly exchanges and cooperation between Foshan and Nuremberg. Gesll said, Bavaria, where Nuremberg lies, and Guangdong Province have good foundation in exchange and communication, and Nuremberg would like to enhance understanding and deepen exchanges and cooperation with Foshan.

The delegation of presidents successively had communication and discussion with local vocational schools and business representatives, visited the training center of the vocational school, and deeply learned about the vocational education development situation from secondary and higher vocational education to enterprise vocational training and many other aspects.

Visiting Foshan Vocational School

Visiting Midea Group

The delegation of presidents also participated in activity of German’s Industry 4.0 and Made in China 2025 Foshan - Nuremberg Vocational Education Dialogue. The two countries’ representatives of government and vocational schools’ delegation of presidents introduced their countries’ vocational education development status quo and traits from many levels such as vocational education system, vocational school cultivation case and international cooperation. The two sides showed that they will deepen vocational education exchanges and cooperation by this vocational education dialogue platform, so as to expand the exchanging achievements of the two sides.

German’s Industry 4.0 and Made in China 2025 Foshan - Nuremberg Vocational Education Dialogue

Many famous media outlets such as People's Daily Online, Foshan Education and Nanfang Plus covered this activity.

This is the delegation’s fourth visit to China organized by the Confucius Institute Nuremberg-Erlangen, also one of the key projects of Confucius Institutes, which aims at promoting bilateral exchanges in China-German education. Germany serves as the traditional major country of vocational education, and in order to comply with the development demand of domestic vocational education, Confucius Institutes organized the presidents of Germany vocational schools to visit China, hoping to take this chance to build a dialogue platform, as well as boost the two sides’ common development, popularize international Chinese language education and spread Chinese culture.