The launch ceremony of UNESCO Chair on Digitalization in TVET was held on 16 March 2023at Shenzhen Polytechnic (SZPT), China, aiming to officially announce the launch of the new Chair, to consolidate partnership with more private sectors, and to establish a TVET community with a shared future of digital transformation. More than 150 representatives and experts from governments, international organizations, TVET institutions, private sectors, and NGOs were invited to attend the ceremony onsite, while around 1,150 online participants from around the world were attractedto the live webcast of the ceremony.
Distinguished guests invited to launch the Chair
Mr. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Beijing Cluster Office, addressed the ceremony and emphasized that the new Chair in digital transformation is very timely and is needed by many of the UNESCO member states. He firmly believed that the new Chair will play a very pivotal role to enhance the capacities of TVET institutions and TVET infrastructure in developing countries.
Opening remarks by Mr. Shahbaz Khan
Mr. Changwei Qin, Secretary-General in Secretariat of National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO, also made a speech at the ceremony. He said that the new Chair is highly in line with the trend of international and domestic education development and the actual needs of various countries.He sincerely hoped thatthe new Chair could make new contributions to the digital transformation of TVET by relying on the advantages of programs and international cooperation that SZPT boasted.
Opening remarks by Mr. Changwei Qin
Mr. Maozhou Cai, Inspector-General of the Education Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, underlined that the new Chair was the first UNESCO chair that established in Shenzhen, which marked that the TVET sectors in Shenzhen represented by SZPT was highly recognized by the international community, and also marked an important step towards the goal of Shenzhen making a global benchmark city.
Opening remarks by Mr. Maozhou Cai
In her speech, Ms.Wei Han,Executive Deputy Director of International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO, highlighted that SZPT had been one of the best and most consolidated partners in promoting the innovation of higher education and TVET.
Opening remarks by Ms.Wei Han
Mr. Jianling Xu, President of SZPT, stressed that SZPT attached great importance to the digital transformation of TVET,and he made a pledge that SZPT would offer strong supports to the new Chair so that the chair could provide new approaches for digital transformation in TVET both nationally and internationally, and would make greater contributions to global TVET for innovative and quality development.
Opening remarks by Mr. Jianling Xu
After that, nearly 20 supporting organizations of the new Chair around the world showcased their congratulatory videos and letters to congratulate the official launch, they looked forward to more comprehensive, in-depth and continuous cooperation with SZPT and the new Chair in the future for promoting digital transformation in TVET and achieving the global sustainable development.
In the congratulatory video, Mr.Friedrich Huebler,Head of Office of UNESCO-UNEVOC, stated that UNEVOC looked forward to stronger support for digital transformation through the establishment of the new Chair, which was very timely as it came on the heels of the United Nations transforming educational summit and the launch of the new UNESCO strategy for TVET. He also appreciated that the ceremony organized in hybrid mode is a perfect example of how digitalization enabled the global TVET community to reach a bigger audience.
Congratulatory speech by Mr.Friedrich Huebler
Mr. Tao Zhan, Director of UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE), acknowledged SZPT’s remarkable achievement in the field of TVET and expected that the new cooperation with SZPT and the new Chair.
Congratulatory speech by Mr. Tao Zhan
Mr. Libing Wang, Chief of Section of Educational Innovation and Skills Development (EISD) in UNESCO Asia and Pacific Bureau for Education, highlighted that vision, commitment and collective actions of the new Chair were most welcomed and needed in the region and beyond. He also said that the new Chair should count on EISD as solid collaborator and partner.
Congratulatory speech byMr. Libing Wang
Established in 1992, with the vision to advance an integrated system of research, training and activities in diverse fields by building university networks and encouraging inter-university cooperation through the transfer of knowledge and expertise across borders, the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme mobilizes expertise of higher education and research institutions to address the interdependent challenges of today’s increasingly complex world.
Led by Chairholder Dr. Professor YANG Xinbin, Board Chairman of Shenzhen Polytechnic (SZPT), the UNESCO Chair on Digitalization in TVET was approved by the UNESCO Headquarters in May 2022. In August 2022, the agreement between UNESCO and SZPT was signed to formally establish the UNESCO Chair on Digitalization in TVET. The 1st phase of the agreement is for a period of four years, ending on 31 December 2026. The new Chair is the first UNESCO Chair in the field of TVET in China and it is the only UNESCO Chair set in higher vocational institute in the world.
