On 16 June 2025, the China-Southeast Asia Capacity Building Workshop (ASEAN-China TVET Policymakers Workshop): Transforming Learning for Sustainable Rural Development was held at Beijing Normal University (BNU). The workshop attracted over a hundred policymakers, administrators, and experts from China and eight ASEAN countries in the fields of vocational and adult education.

Zhou Zuoyu, Vice Chairman of Beijing Normal University Council, Director of the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (UNESCO-INRULED), stated in opening remarks that the problem of uneven rural development worldwide urgently needs to be solved. The adult education, vocational education and lifelong learning are key enablers in advancing transformative learning and education for sustainable rural development. He emphasized the need to build an inclusive education system, helping rural workers adapt to the demands of the digital economy and green economy through skills training and upgrading, promoting employment and entrepreneurship, and creating a fair and inclusive social ecosystem.

Shi Zhongjun, Secretary General of the the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), said that vocational education holds great potential in serving emerging industries such as digitalization, intelligent manufacturing, and green development, and it is an important means for ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic cooperation. He stated that ACC will continue to promote policy dialogue, resource integration, and multi-party collaboration in TVET sector, so as to deepen practical cooperation, support regional socio-economic development and promote mutual understanding and affinity between peoples.

An Yan, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), pointed out that the friendly exchanges and mutual benefit between China and ASEAN cannot be separated from the extensive and in-depth exchanges and cooperation in the field of education all along. With the continuous expansion and upgrading of industrial cooperation between China and ASEAN in recent years, the strategic supporting role of vocational education has become increasingly prominent.

Shahbaz Khan, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, delivered a video speech. He pointed out that the cooperation and dialogue between China and ASEAN countries are of great practical significance and strategic value for transforming education policies into effective actions and jointly paving the path for sustainable rural development. He called on all countries in the region to join hands to build a cooperative network, continuously exert efforts in empowering rural and green transformation through education, and promote truly influential change practices.

During the keynote speech session, Deputy Director-General Li Yingli of the Department of Vocational and Adult Education, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Yuan Ying, a lecturer at the School of Journalism and Communication, Beijing Normal University, and Zhu Min, an associate professor at the Institute of Vocational Education and Adult Education, School of Education, East China Normal University, shared their respective viewpoints and insights and put forward relevant initiatives.

During the national case sharing session, education policymakers and administrators from nine countries shared their countries' policy experiences and best practices in promoting sustainable rural development around topics such as the reform of the adult education system, the integration of industry and education in vocational education, the construction of lifelong learning mechanisms, the cultivation of rural talents, the integrated development of industries, the economic empowerment of women, and the innovative application of digital technology in rural education.

On the morning of June 17th, the UNESCO INRULED, in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), held a workshop with the theme of "Empowering Women's Entrepreneurship through Vocational Education" at BNU. The workshop delved deeply into topics such as women's empowerment, leadership development, and vocational education reform.

During their stay in Beijing, 34 international guests also participated in a three-day on-site investigation and exchange study, delving deeply into China's innovative practices in the construction of the vocational education system, the promotion of lifelong learning for all, and the use of information technology to facilitate educational equity.

On June 17th, international guests visited the Weigongcun Campus of the Open University of China.

On June 18th, international guests conducted an on-site inspection of the Cuihu Intelligent Greenhouse Vegetable Science and Technology Small Courtyard of China Agricultural University.

On June 19th, international guests visited several characteristic training bases of Changping Vocational School in Beijing on the spot.

The workshop has established an important platform for regional dialogue and cooperation. Through a combination of policy dialogue, case sharing and on-site investigation, it delved deeply into topics such as digital skills empowerment, green agricultural transformation, and innovative integration of industry and education, providing practical and feasible solutions for promoting sustainable rural development.