BRICS countries pen cooperation alliance on education

A BRICS Technical and Vocational Education and Training Cooperation Alliance, or BRICS-TCA, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday.

The inauguration conference was hosted by the Ministry of Education and organized by the China Education Association for International Exchange with the support of Ningbo Polytechnic of China.

The BRICS-TCA was jointly initiated by CEAIE, National Council of the Federal Network of Vocational, Scientific and Technological Education Institutions of Brazil, Federal Institute for the Development of Vocational Education of Russia, Directorate General of Training of India and the South African College Principals Organization.

Its founding members include industrial organizations, TVET institutions, research institutes and enterprises. CEAIE President Liu Limin is BRICS-TCA's first rotating chairperson.

Adhering to the principles of equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, BRICS-TCA aims to be a multilateral platform for exchanging information and practices to foster cooperation between BRICS TVET stakeholders.

Members are encouraged to forge substantive partnerships to raise TVET provision across BRICS. Its objective is to empower youth through productive employment and contribute to BRICS' socioeconomic development.

Chinese Vice-Minister of Education Tian Xuejun, Brazilian Minister of Education Victor Godoy, Russian First Deputy Minister of Education Bugaev Alexander, Indian Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar and South African Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande made video addresses or sent congratulatory messages at the conference.

In his speech, Tian said inaugurating the BRICS TVET Cooperation Alliance is a significant step toward further TVET reforms in BRICS countries.

It will serve as a platform for dialogue and a powerful catalyst for spurring substantive cooperation, he said.

He believes the alliance will play an important role in promoting economic restructuring and industrial transformation for a new era of global prosperity.

BRICS-TCA's five national coordinators made concluding remarks and all indicated their commitment to fostering exchanges and joint initiatives under the alliance's framework.

In his concluding remarks on behalf of the Chinese national coordinator, Yu Yougen, CEAIE Deputy Secretary-General, pointed out the establishment of BRICS-TCA implements BRICS leaders' consensus and echoes BRICS countries' common interests.

It reflects the five governments' priorities on TVET and shared value of strengthened TVET cooperation.

Yu emphasized CEAIE's commitment to promoting TVET development with counterparts from BRICS countries.