The Unveiling Ceremony of the Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College-Morocco Branch

In order to serve the construction of the initiative "Belt and Road," contribute to the establishment of the Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association, and support the opening strategy of national education, Deputy Secretary-General Zhao Yuling of the SNAEIA, along with the official delegation from Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College, visited Morocco and Tunisia from December 18 to December 23, 2023.

During the visit, the delegation was invited to visit the Mundiapolis University in Morocco and attended the unveiling ceremony of the Moroccan branch of Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College with President Mohammad Barkaoui and representatives of the school's teaching and management personnel.

The Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College-Morocco Branch adopts a “2+1” (2 years of study in Morocco + 1 year of study in Yiwu) joint training mode. Students who complete the specified credits and meet academic and graduation requirements can simultaneously obtain diplomas from both China and Morocco. To meet the growing demand for trade talents in both regions, the Morocco Branch of Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College took the lead in offering the International Economics and Trade major and admitted more than 20 Moroccan students in 2023. Subsequently, it will introduce advantageous specialties such as e-commerce and big data technology. The goal of the collaboration between Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College-Morocco Branch and Mundiapolis University is to promote cultural understanding among youth of the two countries, enhance cross-cultural communication skills, and contribute to the construction of the "Belt and Road" and the "The Capital of Small Commodities in the World." The collaboration aims to cultivate internationally competent talents, promote comprehensive cooperation in student and faculty exchange, professional co-construction, and collaborative research, creating a Chinese vocational education international cooperation brand with global influence.

And then, the awarding ceremony of Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College Morocco Alumni Association was held at Mundiapolis University in Morocco. The vice president Mr. Fan Yao together with the President of Mundiapolis University Mohammad Barkaoui, presented the award to the alumni association.

ENNAMANE OTMANE, an outstanding graduate of the Business Chinese major at the International Education College of Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College in 2020, participated in the awarding ceremony as a Moroccan alumnus. ENNAMANE OTMANE, after graduation, started his own foreign trade company in Yiwu. After the ceremony, ENNAMANE OTMANE shared his learning experience and entrepreneurial journey at Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College with his fellow students at the Morocco branch. He encouraged them to study Chinese well, understand Chinese culture, and prepare for the next stage of "Studying in Yiwu." ENNAMANE OTMANE felt proud to be invited to participate in the establishment ceremony of the Morocco Alumni Association, hoping that this platform would strengthen interaction between alumni, and the region, contributing to the career development of alumni.

During the visit, the delegation was invited to the Embassy of the people’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Morocco, where they were warmly received by Zhou Zhicheng, the Counselor of the Embassy of the people’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Morocco. Zhou Zhicheng praised the association for assisting Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College in establishing an overseas branch in Morocco and actively promoting the implementation of the "Chinese Language + Vocational Skills" project in Morocco.

During the visit, the delegation was invited to visit The Office of Vocational Training and Employment Promotion of the Kingdom of Morocco (OFPPT) .Both parties reached a cooperation consensus on international economics and trade and other professional course standards output projects, determining the initiation process and related matters.

Subsequently, the delegation was invited to visit the Moroccan Chinese Chamber of Commerce and received a warm welcome from Mr. Yan Qinxing, the president of the Chamber. The strategic cooperation reached between the two parties focuses on promoting international "e-commerce platforms," cultivating talents for the Morocco overseas branch for enterprises in an "orderly" manner, and providing "Chinese + Vocational Skills" training programs for employees of member units of the Moroccan Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Upon arriving in Tunisia, the delegation was invited to visit the Esprit Education Group in Tunisia and met with Tahar Ben Lakhdar, the President of Esprit Education Group, and the head of the International Cooperation Center. They conducted on-site research on the school's teaching and practical training places and exchanged views on the teaching models and methods of Sino-Tunisian universities. During the official talks, both parties reached cooperation agreements on joint teacher research, the "2+1" cross-border e-commerce cooperation project, and short-term cultural visits for teachers and students. After that they signed a MOU.

During this period, coinciding with the 20th-anniversary celebration of the Esprit Education Group, the delegation was invited to join the celebration with the school's faculty and students.

The next day, the delegation was invited to visit The Arab University of Sciences (UAS) in Tunisia, where they received a warm welcome from the Vice President Mohamed Hemdane and other responsible persons of the relevant faculties. Both parties reached a consensus on cooperation in projects such as "Studying in Yiwu" for future high school graduates of The Arab University of Science, "Chinese + Vocational Skills" training, etc., and signed a MOU.

SNAEIA will undoubtedly contribute to the landing and operation of the Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College-Morocco Branch. It will help the school fully integrate the resources of the Yiwu small commodity market and the high-quality educational resources of the two parties, building a bridge for international vocational education cooperation and student and faculty exchanges between the two regions. It will provide language and culture, market procurement, cross-border e-commerce, entrepreneurship incubation, and other courses and practical platforms for young students aspiring to engage in international trade and innovative entrepreneurial activities. This collaboration will contribute to the cultivation of internationally competent talents for the economic and trade development of China and Morocco. It will also assist in jointly building a large platform for vocational education to go global.