Summary

China's Ministry of Education has recently announced a new policy aiming to increase the amount of professional development and vocational training delivered by the country's higher vocational colleges. The "Higher Vocational Institution Comprehensive Vocational Training for Employment and Entrepreneurship Action Plan" has a goal of increasing the annual training scale to 50 million by 2022; cultivating a number of high-quality joint training bases involving cooperation between educational institutions and industry; and developing high-quality training resources aimed at key population groups. The last of these tasks includes training a large number of teaching staff with roles in both colleges and industry, who should make up 60 per cent of teaching staff at higher vocational institutions by the end of this period.

This training will cover a wide range of subject areas. Notable areas singled out in the plan for emphasis include applications of information technology such as big data and the Internet of Things; advanced manufacturing industries; modern service industries; support for Chinese companies expanding overseas; and development of entrepreneurial skills. There is a similarly wide range of target trainees, including recent university graduates, military veterans, migrant workers and disabled people. Training should make use of modern technology such as MOOCs and virtual reality, focus on "short and fast" courses, and provide relevant career guidance as well as technical skills.

Another related development is the establishment of nine new subject areas at higher vocational institutions. This year’s batch of newly approved subject areas includes diploma programmes in study tourism management, which includes the planning and operation of both domestic and international study programmes. The other eight programme areas include the production and application of hydrogen fuel cells; integrated circuits; services related to artificial intelligence; maintenance of high-speed railways; cross-border e-commerce; wine marketing; winter sports facility operation and management; and cemetery services and management.

Analysis by Kevin Prest, Senior Analyst, International Education Services

The new policy shows that China's education policy continues to place importance on vocational training and life-long learning in addition to university education. The continued focus on entrepreneurship and key pillar industries reflects the importance of these areas which will also be important in other forms of education partnership with UK institutions.

Meanwhile, establishing study tourism management as a new subject area for diploma programmes is a strong illustration of demand for activities such as summer-school programmes, which are becoming increasingly attractive to middle-class Chinese families. Language schools in the UK have greatly benefited from this growth in popularity with an increasing number of Chinese students taking short-term courses in the UK. The new diploma programmes will reinforce growth in this area, although the bulk of graduates will probably work on domestic programmes rather than international partnerships.

Sources

1. Ministry of Education - Ministry of Education & 14 other departments publish "Higher Vocational Institution Comprehensive Vocational Training for Employment and Entrepreneurship Action Plan": http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A07/zcs_zhgg/201911/t20191118_408707.html

2. China Youth Online - Ministry of Education announces 9 new majors: http://news.cyol.com/app/2019-11/12/content_18234733.htm