To deepen the exchanges on skills development and technology innovation between China and South Africa within the BRICS cooperation framework, the South African Department of Higher Education and Training, along with South Africa Chapter of BRICS Business Council Skills Development, Applied Technology and Innovation Working Group, organized a nine-day special delegation visit for South African experts in skills development and vocational education from March 23 to 31, 2025. The delegation traveled to Chengdu, Sichuan; Chongqing; and Beijing for the study tour.
The South African expert delegation mainly consists of Ms. Mapule Nkangwa, Chairperson of South Africa Chapter of BRICS Business Council Skills Development, Applied Technology and Innovation Working Group and Director of the Education and Training Authority at the South African Department of Higher Education and Training; Ms. Mamela Luthuli, CEO of Take Note Information Technology Company; and Mr. Sembiso Mhlanga, Project Manager of South Africa Chapter of BRICS Business Council Skills Development, Applied Technology and Innovation Working Group.
Jointly celebrate the grand event, contribute to innovation, and release the practical cooperation achievements of BRICS
On the morning of March 30, a delegation of South African experts was invited to attend the Belt and Road Initiative and BRICS Countries Technology Innovation and International Cooperation Forum (as one of the parallel forums of the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference) held at the Beijing Zhongguancun International Innovation Center. The forum was jointly organized by the Chinese Council of the BRICS Business Council, International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt & Road and BRICS, and the China Association of Inventions. The South African delegation shared their experiences and visions on topics such as intelligent manufacturing, transformation of technical and vocational education and training, technological innovation cooperation between Silk Road countries and BRICS nations, and the cultivation of outstanding engineers and innovative talents.During the forum, three "BRICS+" international practical cooperation achievements were announced: first, the launch of the BRICS Technology Platform and the unveiling of the "BRICS+ Alliance of Science and Technology Innovation"; second, the awarding of plaques to the “China-South Africa International Training Base for BRICS Future Technical Skills and Humanities Exchange Talents”(BRICS Workshop); and third, the initiation of the "BRICS+ Future Skills and Innovative Technology Talent Cultivation Program."
High-level conduction to deepen cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and South Africa
On the afternoon of March 28, the delegation of South African experts, accompanied by Liu Zhenying, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation, visited the Center for International Cultural Exchange under the Ministry of Education. Yu Changxue, Director of the Center, and Zhang Xueren, Deputy Director, attended the meeting. Both sides exchanged views on the construction of the China-Africa (South) Vocational Education Cooperation Alliance and preparations for the 2025 annual conference.
Demonstrating leadership and focusing on the construction of national-level skill training platforms
On the afternoon of March 25th,the delegation of South African experts, accompanied by Chairman Liu Zhenying, visited the China (Chongqing) Vocational Skills Public Training Center, which has been approved with titles such as "World Skills International China (Chongqing) Training and Research Center." Several staff members from the Chongqing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau accompanied the inspection, and Director Zhang Honggang of the center warmly received the delegation.
The South African delegation gained an in-depth understanding of China's talent cultivation models in fields such as new energy vehicles and intelligent manufacturing, visiting multiple practical training programs. They spoke highly of China's innovative practices in skills training and employment promotion. The delegation also learned about the "Skills Illuminate the Future" training initiative, paying particular attention to the project-based training practices of anchor enterprises in the skills ecosystem chain. This visit has laid a solid foundation for subsequent cooperation and exchanges between China and South Africa in the field of vocational skills education.
Educational alignment to promote joint cultivation of highly skilled talents
On the morning of March 25, the delegation of South African experts visited Chongqing May Day Vocational and Technical College. Liu Zhenying, Chair of China Chapter of BRICS Business Council Skills Development, Applied Technology and Innovation Working Group, and Liu Lin, Deputy Director of the Comprehensive Division (International Cooperation Division) of Chongqing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, participated in the visit. Sun Yuwei, Deputy Party Secretary and President of the college, along with other representatives, warmly received the delegation.
Chongqing May Day Vocational and Technical College has undertaken the construction of several Chinese training bases for World Skills competition projects. During this visit, the delegation toured the college's elevator, precision machining, intelligent connected vehicle, and new energy vehicle training bases, gaining insights into the institution's talent cultivation models and innovative practices in fields such as intelligent manufacturing and new energy vehicles.
The two parties engaged in discussions on mutual recognition of vocational education standards, faculty and student exchanges, and school-enterprise cooperation. President Sun Yuwei introduced the college's educational operations and program offerings, expressing the intention to strengthen cooperation with South Africa and explore international talent cultivation models. The South African delegation expressed hopes to learn from China's vocational education experience to promote the modernization of vocational education in South Africa.
In-depth interaction to expand the space for institutional exchanges and cooperation
On the morning of March 26, the delegation of South African experts, accompanied by Chairman Liu Zhenying, visited Chongqing City Management Vocational College and inspected the construction of its "High-Skilled Talent Training Base."
Vice President Qu Zhong of the college introduced the institution's overview, distinctive features, and program offerings, expressing the commitment to advancing international education cooperation. Both parties engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as exploring the "vocational education + cultural exchange" pathway between China and South Africa, understanding the needs of "vocational education + industry sectors," and building a collaborative ecosystem for "Chinese vocational education + South African vocational education."
Corporate participation, exploring the joint construction of future technology and skills bases
On March 24, the delegation made its first stop at the Chengdu headquarters of Zhonghui Yunqi Technology Group Co., Ltd., a partner enterprise of Belt & Road and BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation. Mr. Bian Jihai, Chairman and CEO of Zhonghui Group, warmly received the delegation and held in-depth discussions on cooperation matters regarding skills education in South Africa. The talks explored joint efforts to establish International Training Bases for BRICS Future Technical Skills and Humanities Exchange Talents(BRICS Workshop), promoting mutual recognition of vocational education standards and resource synergy between China and Africa.
The visit of the South African delegation has deepened the mutual consensus on the role of vocational skills competitions in promoting youth employment and industrial upgrading, while advancing exchanges and cooperation in areas such as the integration of industry and education, school-enterprise collaboration, and the cultivation of digital skills talent. During the visit, the South African delegation gained an in-depth understanding of China's policy innovations and practical achievements in integrating industry with education and fostering school-enterprise partnerships, particularly the outcomes in cultivating digital skills talent in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. They acknowledged these experiences as providing valuable insights for the development of vocational education in South Africa.
The two sides also engaged in discussions on jointly establishing International Training Bases for BRICS Future Technical Skills and Humanities Exchange Talents(BRICS Workshop), with the expectation of promoting mutual recognition of vocational education standards and resource coordination between China and Africa, cultivating more high-quality technical and skilled talents to address the challenges of global industrial upgrading.
This visit contributes to implementing the BRICS "Skills Development Cooperation Initiative," injecting momentum into the new model of vocational education cooperation featuring "skills connectivity and standards co-construction."
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