BEIJING, Dec 24 (APP):
China-Pakistan Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) cooperation has made significant progress, with 269 Pakistani students currently enrolled in China-Pakistan dual-diploma programs in agriculture-related disciplines, a senior Chinese official said on Tuesday.
Jinsong Li, China-side Chairman of the China-Pakistan TVET-Industrial Center of Excellence (CPTICE), shared these details while presenting at the 2nd Pakistan-China TVET Forum on Fostering Skills and Talent in Agriculture through Academia-Industry, held at the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing.
He said that of the 269 enrolled students, 59 have proceeded to China after completing the first two years of study in Pakistan, while 10 students have already graduated with dual diplomas recognized by both countries.
Highlighting CPTICE’s broader achievements, Li noted that multiple short-term agricultural skills training programs have been organized in collaboration with Chinese enterprises, including the Royal JW Buffalo Disease-Free Farm, benefiting nearly 1,000 corporate employees, teachers, and students.
He added that 14 core digital courses have been jointly developed, covering agriculture-related specializations such as Modern Agricultural Technology, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Technology, Grain Storage, Transportation and Quality Safety, and Chinese Herbal Medicine Cultivation Technology.
Speaking on the occasion, Que Haitao, Member and Secretary of the Board of Management of CPTICE, said the center is committed to helping Pakistan build a global hub for skilled manpower and effectively realize its population dividend.
“The CPTICE platform has benefited hundreds of thousands of Pakistani youth. We welcome more Chinese and Pakistani TVET institutions and enterprises to join this initiative to further strengthen bilateral TVET cooperation,” he said.
The China-Pakistan TVET-Industrial Center of Excellence, jointly established by Pakistan’s National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and TANG International Education Group, aims to promote industry-education collaboration between the two countries.
So far, CPTICE has facilitated cooperation in sectors including agriculture, infrastructure, energy, mining, healthcare, mechanical manufacturing, electric vehicles, and information and communication technology (ICT). These initiatives include dual-diploma programs, short-term “Chinese + vocational skills” training, teacher training, and joint development of digital learning resources.
Earlier, Li Zhi, Deputy Director General of the Vocational and Adult Education Department of China’s Ministry of Education, and Ma Hezu, Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China, attended the forum and delivered keynote addresses.
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, and NAVTTC Chairperson Ms. Gulmina Bilal Ahmad, who also serves as Pakistan-side Chairperson of CPTICE, addressed the forum through video messages. They emphasized the urgency of strengthening China-Pakistan TVET cooperation to support Pakistan’s agricultural development.
In his remarks, Khalil Hashmi, Ambassador of Pakistan to China, underscored the importance of aligning TVET initiatives with Chinese investments in Pakistan’s priority economic sectors, particularly agriculture. He stressed the need for a sustainable skills-development mechanism based on industry-academia-research collaboration to boost productivity, ensure food security, and promote inclusive economic growth.
The forum aimed to promote greater collaboration between Chinese and Pakistani TVET institutions and enterprises in the agricultural sector, enhance the skills of Pakistani youth, and further deepen bilateral agricultural industrial cooperation.
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