2011 Sino-Dutch Forum on Higher Vocational Education solemnly held in Tongren
At 9: 00 a.m. on July 6, 2011, Sino-Dutch Forum on Higher Vocational Education solemnly held in Longquanshengjing, an international hotel in Tongren Prefecture. The theme of the forum was "Sustainable Development in Higher Education".
The present leaders and guests were Ms. Lei Wenrong, deputy commissioner of Administrative Office in Tongren Prefecture, Prof. Shi Zhongjian, chairman of Cooperative Alliance for Higher Vocational Colleges and president of Qingdao Technical College, Prof. Henk Frencken, educational counselor of Teaching and Research Institute in University of Leiden, Prof. Joseph Kessels of University of Twente, and Prof. Hou Changlin, president of Tongren Polytechnic.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Mr. Li Qianjun, director of party affairs office in Tongren Polytechnic.
Ms. Lei Wenrong delivered an important speech at the opening ceremony. She sincerely welcomed and extended her heartfelt thanks to the experts, guests and friends at the forum on behalf of all officials in Administrative Office of Tongren Prefecture, briefly introduced the basic conditions in Tongren Prefecture and achievements made by Tongren Polytechnic.
She said that "developing vocational education is developing regional economy". In accordance with the concept, Administrative Office in Tongren Prefecture took the vocational education as a project related to people's livelihood, and provided TRPT with policies as well as funds.
TRPT operating the school is to serve the economic development of the region. The school running spirit is "cultivating persons with morals, starting careers with techniques, and serving the new rural area". It has cultivated a large number of applied talents at the front line of production who can serve the new rural area with techniques and stay in the post, which has made great contributions to the development of local economy.
The forum in Tongren fully embodied that the Cooperative Alliance for Higher Vocational Colleges highly concerned and supported the vocational education in Tongren Prefecture. The forum provided a good opportunity for mutual learning and exchange among higher vocational colleges.
She hoped that TRPT could make full use of the opportunity, strengthen cooperation with higher vocational colleges at home and abroad, draw the valuable experiences of other vocational colleges, learn their advanced practice and ideas of sustainable development in higher vocational education, and apply them to the daily work in accordance to the actual situation of TRPT, so as to make greater contributions to the development of society and local economy.
Prof. Henk Frencken, one of Dutch experts extended his thanks to all the leaders and staff of both sponsors and organizers of the forum in his speech for their warmly reception.
He said that he had been to Tongren for four times, and the communication with TRPT had reached a very deep level since he entered into the field of vocational education in China ten years ago. The vocational education in Holland in the past twenty years developed quickly. It experienced a process that was from theory to practice, and closely integrated with enterprises. Therefore, the purpose of that visit was to share the experience of success and lessons of failures with us. At the same time, it was also a learning tour, the stupendous development of China and the vocational education had attracted the attention of the whole world, they came to learn the advanced experience and practices.
Prof. Shi Zhongjian said in his speech that experts of both China and Holland gathered together and researched the sustainable development of higher education, which was a realistic and perennial issue. The forum would be sure to achieve complete success with the presence of top class experts from Holland, careful organization by the sponsors, and energetic support by the participants.
TRPT President Hou Changlin, delivered an enthusiastic speech at the opening ceremony. At first, he expressed sincere gratitude and warm welcome to all experts and guests present at the forum on behalf of leaders and staff of TRPT.
He said, "That a friend comes from afar, is that not delightful?" It was our common desire that all the colleagues of vocational education in China and Holland uniting and working together to promote sustainable development of higher education. The experts from Holland and delegates of vocational colleges of China gathering together to explore the prospects and way of sustainable development for higher vocational colleges were sure to play a positive role in promoting the communication and friendship of educators in China and Holland, the theoretical research, innovation, reform, and development of vocational education.
Other foreign experts at the forum including: Ms. Ria Jacobi, educational consultant of teaching research institute in University of Leiden, Bert Hooijer, dean of water management department in Rotterdam University of Applied Science, Ms. Marlies Bedeker, lecturer of international development department in Rotterdam University of Applied Science, Ms. Haske van Vlokhoven, researcher of education center in Han University of Applied Science, Ms. Wang Bingyan, overseas expert of Qingdao Technical College, and overseas researcher of teaching science department of social sciences college in University of Leiden.
Participants at the forum also including: Leaders and specialists of higher vocational colleges such as Qingdao Technical College, Inner Mongolia Electronic Information Vocational Technical College, Hainan College of Economics and Business, and so on. Both leaders and teachers of our college attended the forum too. Reporters of both Guizhou Daily Press and Tongren Daily Press were present at the forum to cover the news.
Edited by: Liao Xiaoqiong
Source: TRPT News (Chinese)
