Official Visit by SNAEIA and Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology to Morocco

From September 21 to 22, 2023, Mr. Abdellatif Mazouz, Vice President, and Mrs. Zhao Yuling, Deputy Secretary General of the Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association, as well as Dou Xinshun, President of Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology, Jiang Xixing, Director, and Du Zhan, Director, arrived in Morocco. They were invited to visit the Confucius Institute at Hassan II University in Casablanca and China Railway Construction Corporation Limited(CRCC).

On the morning of September 21, Vice President Abdellatif Mazouz and Deputy Secretary General Zhao Yuling, accompanied by President Dou Xinshun, Director Jiang Xixing, and Director Du Zhan of Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology, visited the Confucius Institute at Hassan II University in Casablanca. They were warmly received by the Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute, Ms. Zheng Qiong, and the foreign Director, Ms. Fadma Ait Mous.

During the meeting, Ms. Zheng Qiong provided a detailed overview of the Confucius Institute's ten years of educational history and various international education exchange activities. The delegation from Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology introduced the school's history, distinctive programs, teaching achievements, and the current status of international cooperation projects. After in-depth discussions, both parties expressed a preliminary intention to collaborate on the "Chinese + Vocational Skills" cooperation model, with the Confucius Institute responsible for Chinese language teaching and Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology taking charge of vocational training.

On the afternoon of September 22, Deputy Secretary-General Zhao Yuling, accompanied by the delegation from Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology, visited the China Railway Construction Corporation Limited(CRCC). They were warmly received by Mr. Xin Yuanyang, Executive General Manager of CRCC, and Mr. Wang Jiliang, General Manager of the African Regional Command.

Both Mr. Xin Yuanyang and Mr. Wang Jiliang expressed that CRCC shares a common origin and bloodline with Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology. Many leaders of CRCC have graduated from the college. President Dou Xinshun mentioned that in history, Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology was under the auspices of CRCC, and the song "The Song of Railway Soldiers" is a shared cultural symbol of CRCC and the college.

Subsequently, the two parties had in-depth discussions on the joint construction of the "Chinese Workshop" project under the Center for Language Education and Cooperation. This project, inaugurated by chairman of the 14th NPC Standing Committee Zhao Leji in May 2023, is a national-level "Chinese + Vocational Skills" training program. It aims to provide a comprehensive platform for Moroccan students to learn Chinese and vocational skills while offering a talent reserve for Moroccan Chinese-funded enterprises.

This official business visit enabled the Association and the delegation from Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology to gain deep insights into the needs of the Confucius Institute in Morocco and Chinese-funded enterprises. They discussed a series of potential future collaborative projects and established close connections and profound friendships. In the future, the Association will continue to promote the internationalization of vocational education with a high level of professionalism and a positive attitude, adhering to the principles of openness, inclusiveness, cooperation, respect, and mutual benefit, driving the depth and breadth of Sino-North African international education cooperation.