On September 23, the Sino-Kazakh High-level Forum for Presidents of Vocational Education Institutions and the Inauguration Ceremony of the Sino-Kazakh Alliance of 100 Vocational Colleges were held in Shanghai under the theme Skills Illuminate the Silk Road, Innovation Shapes the Future. The event was co-hosted by Shanghai Zhongqiao Polytechnic University and Shanghai College of Science and Technology, with strong support from the Center for International People-to-People Exchange (CCIPE) of the Ministry of Education.
The forum brought together over 100 representatives, including presidents and faculty members from nearly 100 vocational institutions across China and Kazakhstan, as well as education authorities and industry leaders. Participants gathered to discuss international vocational education cooperation, celebrate the founding of the Alliance, and witness the signing of over 100 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between participating institutions.
Opening Ceremony
Welcome remarks were delivered by Zhang Xueren, Deputy Director of the CCIPE; Li Weiping, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Education Association for International Exchange; Aqylbek Aqlima Aqylbekovna, Deputy Director of the Education Department of East Kazakhstan Region; and Yan Jianjun, Chairman of Zeta Group. The opening ceremony was chaired by Chen Bin, President of Shanghai College of Science and Technology.
Alliance Launch
Following the opening ceremony, Guo Wei, Vice President of Shanghai College of Science and Technology, presided over the official inauguration of the Sino-Kazakh Alliance of 100 Vocational Colleges.
Operating under the guidance of the CCIPE, the Alliance is an open, non-profit cooperation platform jointly initiated by Chinese and Kazakh educational institutions, organizations, and enterprises. Shanghai Zhongqiao Polytechnic University, Shanghai College of Science and Technology, and the Almaty Construction and Technical College serve as the founding Chair Institutions. The Alliance Secretariat is housed at Shanghai College of Science and Technology. During the ceremony, participating leaders officially launched the Alliance and presented membership certificates to the founding institutional representatives.
Keynote Presentations & Panel Sessions
The keynote session was moderated by Zhao Bin, Vice President of Shanghai Zhongqiao Polytechnic University. Six representatives from institutions and industry partners presented insights on topics including international talent cultivation, cross-border educational initiatives, AI-driven vocational education expansion, and global industry-education integration.
The afternoon featured three thematic panel discussions:
High-Skilled Talent Cultivation in the Context of WorldSkills Competitions
Innovations in Cross-Border Educational Models
Global Integration of Industry and Education
Delegates engaged in in-depth exchanges to build consensus and turn discussions into concrete collaborative projects.
MoU Signing & Closing Ceremony
During the closing ceremony, also chaired by Vice President Zhao Bin, representatives from multiple Chinese and Kazakh institutions signed a series of MoUs, cementing the day's discussions into formal strategic agreements.
Looking Ahead
As a co-host of the forum and a founding Chair Institution of the Alliance, Shanghai Zhongqiao Polytechnic University will leverage this platform to build stronger, skill-focused partnerships with institutions and enterprises across Kazakhstan and other Belt and Road initiative (BRI) countries.
Moving forward, Zhongqiao University and its partner institutions will continue to broaden cooperation in talent development, curriculum design, faculty exchange, and industry integration—empowering youth, serving regional industries, and contributing to the high-quality internationalization of vocational education.
