From October 24 to 25, the “TVET Leadership Workshop on Digital Transformation 2024”, organized by the UNESCO Chair in TVET Digital Transformation at our university, took place successfully at the Liuxiandong Campus. This event welcomed 30 vocational education leaders, government officials, and institutional leaders from 24 countries across the Asia-Pacific and Africa regions. Through three thematic modules, the workshop provided an in-depth exploration of digital transformation concepts, standards, strategies, and case studies, aiming to empower global leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to drive digital transformation in vocational education worldwide.

The closing ceremony was held on the afternoon of October 25, attended by Vice President Li Yue; Olivier Pieume, Head of the UNESCO-UNEVOC Network; Ruairi Gough, Secretary-General of the UNEVOC Network; Yang Wenming, Director of the Asia-Africa Center; Deputy Director of the Office of International Exchange and Cooperation Yang Congkun; along with all workshop participants and UNESCO Asia-Africa Center staff. Vice President Li Yue awarded certificates of completion to each participant, congratulating them on their achievements and the successful conclusion of the workshop.

Vice President Li Yue awarded certificates to the participants.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Olivier Pieume praised the workshop, emphasizing that it provided a valuable opportunity for global vocational education leaders and policymakers to deepen their understanding of the latest theories and challenges in digital transformation. He further commended Shenzhen Polytechnic University and its partners for showcasing innovative applications and scenarios within the digital space. Pieume noted that UNESCO would continue supporting the development of the Chair and advancing the digitalization of vocational education worldwide.

Yang Wenming, in his concluding address, highlighted four key outcomes of the workshop: methodologies for digital transformation, digital application scenarios, digital transformation technologies for courses and programs, and digital education technologies and teaching methodologies. Yang underscored the role of digital communities in narrowing the digital divide and encouraged participants to put their newfound knowledge into practice to advance vocational education within their own countries. He also called on attendees to remain connected, united in addressing future challenges and seizing new opportunities.

The workshop consisted of three modules. The first focused on the development of emerging digital technology programs in vocational education, with presentations by Professor Chi Ruinan, Deputy Dean of the School of Artificial Intelligence, and Professor Yi Haibo, Director of the Blockchain Program, who shared insights into the pathways for developing new technology programs and establishing curriculum standards using the examples of AI and cloud computing courses. Led by Laboratory Director Wang Xiaolei, participants also toured the practical training labs at the School of Artificial Intelligence to observe the real-world application of emerging digital technology in teaching. The second module explored the digital transformation of traditional vocational programs. Professor Cui Hongwei, Deputy Dean of the School of Automotive and Transportation Engineering, and Song Heran, an instructor in New Energy Vehicle Technology, shared their experience in the digital transformation of new energy vehicle programs, illustrating how traditional programs can integrate digital technology to innovate course content and teaching methods to bolster students’ technical skills and employability. The third module centered on educational technology, digital teaching methodologies, and the development of digital platforms. Associate Professor Li Chunlin from the Information Center and Deputy Dean Li Zhi from the School of Digital Creation and Animation presented innovations in digital teaching methods and digital twin applications, including the use of digital personas in teaching, offering advanced solutions for digitalized vocational education. During the final day of case studies, vocational education leaders from various countries actively shared their success stories and experiences in digital transformation of vocational education within their own nations, broadening participants’ international perspectives on digitalization, enhancing their understanding of the process and fostering collaboration among global leaders in vocational education. Participants expressed their intent to apply the knowledge and strategies gained during the workshop to foster digital transformation in vocational education within their respective countries.

This workshop marks the second global event on digital transformation leadership in vocational education organized by our university since the establishment of our university’s UNESCO Chair. Its successful completion reflects our institution’s significant expertise and leading position in vocational education digitalization. The event further strengthened our ties with educational institutions both domestically and internationally, enhancing our global influence and reputation as a UNESCO Chair in Vocational Education Digitalization and a world-class vocational institution. In the future, we will continue leveraging the UNESCO Chair as an international platform, collaborating with global partners to explore innovative pathways in digital transformation and contributing to the sustainable development of vocational education worldwide.

 (Chen Xueying, Asia-Africa Center)