The FCO’s Prosperity Fund China Skills Programme is running Consultation Workshops in Beijing, China (20th March 2019) and London, UK (3rd April 2019) and would like to invite UK Skills Providers and Stakeholders to attend one, or both of the sessions.

Since October 2018, the Prosperity Fund Skills Programme has undertaken research and scoping activities to inform the design of a multi-year programme that aims to support China to develop a better-equipped and skilled work force, while creating more commercial and partnership opportunities for international organisations, including the UK Skills Sector (see below for further information). The programme is expected to be worth between £15-20 million over 3-5 years.

As part of these activities, the programme team is planning to hold a half day consultation and engagement workshops in Beijing and London.

Contents of the session will be of particular interest to UK Skills Providers and Stakeholders, who will be able to:

  • Learn about findings and progress of the research and scoping to date
  • Share input and feedback on draft proposals for the multi-year programme and further contribute to their development
  • Understand and discuss what opportunities the programme may have for their organisations (including commercially)

The workshops should be highly interactive and informative. Interested parties are encouraged to register your interest.

Please RSVP by 18th March 18 (China) and 22nd March (UK) through this link.

The programme team will contact those registered to confirm detailed arrangements and attendance for the workshops prior to the event.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you at the workshop.

Prosperity Fund China Skills Programme Background

 

The UK Government Prosperity Fund is a £1.2 billion cross government fund focusing on supporting poverty alleviation and inclusive economic growth in middle income countries. The Fund also looks to create opportunities for international business, including UK companies, as a result of this economic growth, as a secondary benefit.

Prosperity Fund work in China consists of a portfolio of seven thematic programme areas. The seven programmes are directly complementary and are aligned with China’s key economic priorities. They are designed to address market failures and weaknesses that impede China’s inclusive economic growth and will help China’s ongoing transition to an inclusive, sustainable and productive economy.  As a secondary benefit, the programmes will also create commercial benefits for international companies, including UK ones, through an improved business environment in China for firms and investors, and through additional trade and investment opportunities in these sectors, where the UK has competitive advantages.

The China Skills Programme will match China’s specific reform needs with UK Skills sector strengths, to support China develop a better-equipped and skilled work force ready for productive employment.  As China seeks to transition to a new economic growth model, one of the main challenges it faces is the size and scale of the skills gap. China’s 13th Five Year Plan, published in 2016, clearly sets out the need for investing in high-end skills to raise productivity and support China’s economic transition. The programme will draw on UK expertise in TVET and will align with Prosperity Fund work elsewhere in this sector. In 2018/19, the Programme is running a series of scoping activities to inform and steer the design of a larger scale, multi-year programme.

For more information about the Prosperity Fund, please visit this website.

 

 

Interested parties are encouraged to register your interest. Please RSVP by 18th March 18 (China) and 22nd March (UK) through this link.