On March 29, 2025, the "The Standing Council (Expanded) Meeting of the International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt & Road and BRICS and the Promotion Conference for the 2025 Belt & Road and BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation," hosted by International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt & Road and BRICS and the Organizing Committee of BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation, grandly commenced at the Beijing Vocational College of Transportation (Haidian Campus).
Distinguished guests in attendance included:
- Liu Zhenying, Chair of China Chapter of BRICS Business Council Skills Development, Applied Technology and Innovation Working Group and President of the International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt & Road and BRICS；
- Guo Qun, Party Secretary of the Beijing Vocational College of Transportation;
- Andrey Siling, Executive Director of the Russian National Technology Initiative Platform;
- Chen Wei, Deputy Director of the Fifth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps;
- Mapule Tiny Edith Ncanywa, Chair of South Africa Chapter of BRICS Business Council Skills Development, Applied Technology and Innovation Working Group and Director of the Education and Training Authority under the South African Department of Higher Education and Training;
- Jia Dongqing, President of the Beijing Vocational College of Transportation;
- Carlos Eduardo de Medeiros Braguini, Regional Director of Brazil National Service for Industrial Training(SENAI);
- Dai Qing, Party Secretary and Director of the Education Bureau of Shuanghe City, Fifth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps;
- Zhou Wei, Professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and President of the International Society of Intelligent Manufacturing;
- Fan Rong, Party Secretary of Shuanghe Vocational and Technical College;
- Mamela Luthuli, CEO of South Africa's Take Note Information Technology Company;
- Alexey Urivskiy, Chief Innovation Officer of Russia's Infotecs;
- Evgenii Vysotskii, Head of the Training Department at Russia's Infotecs.
Domestic and international leaders and guests were invited to attend this conference.
This conference is a parallel event of the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Meeting—the "Belt&Road" and BRICS Technology Innovation and International Cooperation Forum. It brought together over 300 participants, including government representatives, heads of educational institutions, industry experts, academic leaders, and corporate executives from BRICS countries such as China, South Africa, Brazil, Russia, as well as nations along the "Belt and Road" like Singapore, Indonesia, and Bolivia.
This conference aims to implement the initiative proposed in the Kazan Declaration of the 16th BRICS Summit in October 2024 regarding "launching a BRICS New Technology Platform under the framework of the BRICS Business Council to promote technoloy and innovation cooperation among BRICS countries." It seeks to contribute to the construction of an "Innovative BRICS," elevate cooperation in Skills Development and Technology Innovation among BRICS and Belt and Road countries to new heights, and simultaneously fulfill the directives of the education authorities on "vocational education going global." The conference will advance the strategy of "vocational education accompanying enterprises overseas," promote collaborative international expansion between schools and enterprises, foster international integration of industry and education, and strengthen the development of international "golden majors, golden courses, golden faculty, golden bases, and golden teaching materials." It will also facilitate the export of Chinese vocational education standards, deepen cooperative education programs, and promote high-quality employment, thereby better supporting and advancing the work of various professional committees under the International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt & Road and BRICS (hereinafter referred to as the Alliance).
Congress Opening Ceremony and Leadership Speeches
At 9:00 a.m. on March 29, the conference officially commenced. Ms. Guo Qun, Party Secretary of Beijing Vocational College of Transportation, the hosting institution, extended a warm welcome to distinguished guests from various countries. She reviewed the college's achievements in international cooperation and exchange in vocational education as the deputy director unit of the International Alliance's Transportation Working Committee, through standards export and skills competitions.
Ms. Mapule Tiny Edith Ncanywa, Chair of South Africa Chapter of BRICS Business Council Skills Development, Applied Technology and Innovation Working Group, stated in her speech: South Africa attaches great importance to cooperation among BRICS countries in the field of skills development and looks forward to further strengthening exchanges in the future to jointly address global challenges in skills development.
Zhou Wei, Professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and President of the International Society of Intelligent Manufacturing, emphasized in his speech that intelligent manufacturing is reshaping the global industrial landscape. BRICS countries should seize this opportunity to cultivate high-quality technical and skilled talents who can meet the demands of future industries through skills competitions, joint research and development, and other means.
Mr. Carlos Eduardo de Medeiros Braguini, Regional Director of Brazil National Service for Industrial Training(SENAI), presented the latest progress of achievements between China and Brazil under the BRICS cooperation framework and expressed expectations for further deepening bilateral collaboration in advanced manufacturing, digital economy, and other fields.
Mr. Andrey Siling, Executive Director of the Russian National Technology Initiative Platform, presented the latest progress on various achievements between China and Pakistan under the BRICS cooperation framework and expressed expectations for further deepening bilateral cooperation in advanced manufacturing, digital economy, and other fields.
Work Report of the Standing Council of the Alliance
At the upcoming thematic meeting of the Standing Council (Expanded) of the International Alliance, Dr. Liu Zhenying, president of the International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt & Road and BRICS, first delivered a thematic report titled "2024 Annual Report and 2025 Annual Plan." He elaborated on the Alliance's remarkable achievements in 2024 and key work directions for 2025 from six major aspects: the construction of BRICS group technical skill standards and certification systems, the development of BRICS Workshops and talent cultivation, the organization and outcomes of BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation, the progress of BRICS Auditorium of Skills Development and Technology Innovation, the development of he International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt & Road and BRICS, and the results of international cooperation, exchanges, and industry-education integration.
Interpretation of the Alliance's "Charter" and Work Reports from Various Special Committees
He Wei, Deputy Secretary-General of he International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt & Road and BRICS and Director of the International Training Department of BRICS Academy of Skills Development and Technology Innovation(Xiamen), provided a detailed interpretation of the revised draft of the "Alliance Charter." After a vote by all attending representatives, the draft "Alliance Charter" was unanimously approved. The revised charter will provide more standardized, efficient, and robust support for the operation of the alliance.
Subsequently, Li Zhi, Director of the Information and Communication Technology Specialized Committee of the International Alliance; Mai Quanfa, Deputy Director of the Social Services Specialized Committee; Li Yimin, Executive Deputy Director of the Transportation Working Committee; Shen Xingdong, of the Additive Manufacturing Specialized Committee; Chen Ji, Director of the Big Data and AI Specialized Committee; Zhao Shan, Secretary-General of the Digital and Intelligent Finance Specialized Committee; and Liu Guangduo, Secretary-General of the Engineering Construction Technology Specialized Committee, delivered their respective committee's 2024 work summaries and 2025 work plans.
Alliance and Special Committee Member Certificate Awarding Ceremony
Subsequently, the certificate awarding ceremony was held for the new member units of International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt & Road and BRICS, committee members of various specialized committees of the International Alliance, and member units of the BRICS+ Alliance of Science and Technology Innovation. Witnessed by all attending representatives, Dr. Liu Zhenying and other distinguished guests presented certificates to representatives of relevant units and individual committee members. These new members come from various fields such as vocational education, scientific and technological innovation, and industrial services, further strengthening and enriching the alliance's membership and expert team.
Signing of Cooperation Agreement and Thematic Report
During the meeting, Vice President Dong Zheng, of Beijing Vocational College of Transportation and Party Secretary Fan Rong, of Shuanghe Vocational College, signed a cooperation agreement. The moment was witnessed by multiple leaders including Liu Zhenying, President of the International Alliance ; Chen Wei, Deputy Division Chief of the Fifth Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; Dai Qing, Director of the Corps Education Bureau of Shuanghe City; Mapule Tiny Edith Ncanywa, Chair of South Africa Chapter of BRICS Business Council Skills Development, Applied Technology and Innovation Working Group; and Carlos Braguini, Regional Director of Brazil National Service for Industrial Training(SENAI).
Subsequently, President Jia Dongqing, of Beijing Vocational College of Transportation and General Manager An Shengqiang, of Beijing Dingsheng Nuolan Technology Co., Ltd. ,delivered keynote reports titled "Connecting with the World and Keeping Pace with the Times: International Cooperation and Exchange Propel the College Forward" and "Belt and Road Skills Development and Technology Innovation Drive High-Quality Development in Tourism Management Programs" respectively. Through concrete cases, they demonstrated the importance and necessity of international exchange and cooperation in vocational education amid the wave of globalization.
The second half of the meeting focused on the "Belt & Road and BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation" (hereinafter referred to as the "BRICS Competition" or "the Competition"). Since its inception in 2017, the BRICS Competition has been successfully held for eight consecutive editions, with over 450,000 participants engaging in competitions, related conferences, exhibitions, and technical exchange activities. It has been featured as an outcome in the "BRICS Business Council Annual Report" for eight consecutive years, presented to the top leaders of the five BRICS countries. The BRICS Competition has become a vital platform for promoting educational cooperation, skills development, and humanities exchanges among BRICS nations.
Interpretation and Voting on the BRICS Competition "Charter"
Song Xiaoqin, Director of the Domestic Competition Office of the Executive Committee of the BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation Organizing Committee, first provided a detailed explanation of the draft "Competition Charter." After voting by all attending representatives, the draft "Competition Charter" was unanimously approved. The interpretation of the charter is not only about conveying rules but also an important manifestation of ensuring the standardization, professionalism, and internationalization of the BRICS competition.
Sharing of Expert Experience from Outstanding Competition Categories
During the outstanding competition experience sharing session, Liu Zeyang, President of Baiyang Health Vocational Skills Training School, delivered a presentation titled "Development Path and Practice of Competition Regulations in the Health Sector," sharing the design philosophy and implementation experience of the health care competition. Professor Liu Yongli from the China Electronic Enterprise Association focused on "Technical Upgrades and Organizational Implementation of the 3D Printing Modeling Technology Competition," demonstrating how competitions can drive industrial technology progress. Associate Professor Dong Tingjian from the Civil Aviation University of China presented a report titled "Promoting Teaching Through Competitions to Foster the Cultivation of New-Quality Talents," delving into the organic integration of competitions and teaching. Section Chief Yan Kai from Yantai Vocational College of Culture and Tourism shared the experience of organizing the "First Preschool Childcare Skills Competition of the BRICS Skills Competition," providing a model for skills competitions in the field of preschool education. Cheng Haoyu, Director of the China Invention Association and Vice President of the Preschool Innovation Education Branch, delivered a competition sharing report titled "Preschool Innovation Education and the Application of Artificial Intelligence Technology." From a perspective combining theory and practice, he provided actionable technical pathways and competition design ideas for innovation in preschool education.
Award Ceremony for Outstanding Experts, Referees, and Arbitrators of the Competition
At the meeting, the organizing committee of the BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation solemnly commended outstanding experts, judges, and arbitrators of the 2024 Belt & Road and BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation. A total of 45 experts, judges, and arbitrators from institutions such as the Future Chips Center of Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University, and Wuhan University were awarded the titles of "Outstanding Expert," "Outstanding Judge," and "Outstanding Arbitrator."
Russian Experts' Special Report
The conference also specially invited Russian cybersecurity expert and head of the Infotecs training department, Evgeny Vysotsky, who delivered a thematic report titled "Innovative Practices in Cybersecurity Training and Competitions in Russia."
Presentation on the Implementation Plan of the BRICS Workshop
Subsequently, He Wei, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Alliance, provided a detailed interpretation of the implementation plan for the International Training Bases for BRICS Future Technical Skills and Humanities Exchange Talents(BRICS Workshop). She elaborated on the project application requirements and procedures, and showcased the relevant achievements made in the construction of the BRICS Workshop.
2025 BRICS Competition Event Signing Ceremony (First Batch)
In addition, the conference also solemnly held the signing ceremony for the 2025 Belt & Road and BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation events. Representatives from cooperative units of a total of 56 competition events took the stage to complete the signing of cooperative events with Dr. Liu Zhenying, Chair of the Executive Committee of the BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation Organizing Committee.
BRICS International Competition and International Exchange Activities Promotion
In 2025, the BRICS Competition will further expand its international tracks to facilitate Chinese enterprises and educational institutions in going global. Du Hongjie, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Alliance and Director of the International Division of the Domestic Competition Office of the BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation Organizing Committee Executive Committee, delivered a thematic presentation on the implementation of the 2025 BRICS international competition events and international exchange activities.
Report on the Achievements of BRICS Group Technology and Skill Standards
In the area of BRICS International Competition achievements transformation and the formulation of international group technology and skill standards, Wu Jianfeng, Director of the Standards Business Department at the BRICS Academy of Skills Development and Technology Innovation(Xiamen), shared the workflow and collaborative cases of the BRICS Standardization Working Committee for Skills and Technology (hereinafter referred to as the "BRICS Standardization Committee"). He also reported on the committee's achievements and work plans.
The leader delivered concluding remarks, marking the successful conclusion of the conference.
Finally, the conference concluded successfully in a warm atmosphere. In his concluding remarks, President Liu Zhenying highly commended the fruitful outcomes of the conference. He pointed out that the meeting not only systematically reviewed the current achievements but also outlined a clear blueprint for the high-quality development of the International Alliance in 2025. Looking ahead, President Liu Zhenying called on all member units to take serving national strategies as the foundation, plan development with a global perspective, promote implementation through pragmatic actions, and jointly write a new chapter for international cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and among BRICS countries.
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