China is placing strong emphasis on developing a skilled workforce in an emerging artificial intelligence-driven world through comprehensive reforms in technical and vocational education and training. In this context, a workshop was held on Wednesday at the Institute of Education and Research (IER), University of Dhaka. The event focused on building skilled human resources in the era of artificial intelligence and learning from China’s vocational education reforms.
The chief guest, Associate Professor Dr. Cheng Li of China Normal University, delivered a keynote address on the topic. Faculty members including Professor Fazlur Rahman of IER, University of Dhaka, were also present. The workshop, titled “Building a Skilled Workforce in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: China’s Vocational Education Reform and Its Lessons,” was held at the Shaheed Sadat Ali Conference Room of the Institute of Education and Research, University of Dhaka, starting at 10:30 a.m. Students of IER also participated. The event was jointly organized by the Centre for China Studies and the Institute of Education and Research. In his opening remarks, Dr. Cheng Li highlighted how Bangladesh’s education system—particularly technical and vocational education—should adapt to emerging global challenges. He also outlined China’s progress in aligning its vocational curriculum with industry needs, enabling graduates to perform effectively in the workforce. He noted that China currently has more than 11,000 vocational institutions with around 35 million students. Over 70 percent of new recruits in modern industries come from the vocational education sector. He stressed that vocational education is also crucial for countries like Bangladesh, which has a large youth population. While Bangladesh has a workforce of over 70 million, youth unemployment and skill gaps remain key challenges. Dr. Cheng further explained that China has launched an “AI Education Action Plan” to address new challenges in the artificial intelligence era. Under this initiative, vocational curricula are being redesigned, outdated courses are being updated, and less relevant subjects are being removed. He also highlighted the introduction of AI-based learning systems, virtual reality training, and smart classrooms in China. He suggested that Bangladesh could further strengthen its technical and vocational education system by adopting similar approaches, making it easier for Bangladeshi students to adapt to future job markets. The one-hour workshop concluded with a question-and-answer session. At the end of the program, Dr. Cheng Li was presented with a token of appreciation. Source: China Media Group