The Opening Ceremony of the 2023 Sino-North Africa International Vocational Education Digital Summit Forum and the Inaugural Sino-North Africa International Vocational Education Digital Innovation Skills Competition China Regional Final was Successfully Held

On October 31, 2023, the opening ceremony of the 2023 Sino-North Africa International Vocational Education Digital Summit Forum and the inaugural Sino-North Africa International Vocational Education Digital Innovation Skills Competition China Regional Final was successfully held.

The summit forum and opening ceremony invited nearly 800 participants, including former Moroccan Minister of Education, Mohamed Knidiri; President of the Sino-North Africa International Education Innovation, Mohamed Barkawi; Secretary-General of the Sino-North Africa International Education Innovation, Chen Lu; Regional Cooperation Director of the Moroccan Office of Vocational Education and Employment Development, Ghita Zaroual; Director of International Cooperation Department at Esprit Education Group in Tunisia, Salah Busbia; Deputy Dean and Party Committee Member of Yiwu Industrial and Commercial College, Fan Yao; and the Executive Director of the Beijing Research Institute for Enterprise-College Education and Technology, He Yong. These participants represented education departments, universities, associations, and enterprises from both domestic and international backgrounds, along with students and teachers from the Chinese regional final competition teams.

The "2023 Sino-North Africa International Vocational Education Digital Summit Forum"

Fanyao, Member of the Party Committee and Vice President of Yiwu Industrial and Commercial College, delivered the opening remarks, expressing gratitude to the leaders, guests, and participating teams present at the ceremony. He emphasized the school's commitment to providing rigorous, professional, and practical services and support as the host institution for the competition.

Mohamed Knidiri, former Minister of Education in Morocco, regarded the inaugural 2023 Sino-North Africa Vocational Education Digital Innovation Skills Competition as a platform dedicated to nurturing innovation, professionalism, and collaboration. He encouraged all participants to push their limits and become ambassadors for skills development in their respective regions, contributing to the future of digital society.

Mohamed Barkawi, President of the Sino-North Africa International Education Innovation Alliance, expressed the hope that the competition's impact would continue to expand in the future. He aims to involve more institutions, students, and educators, driving ongoing development in vocational education and digital skills within the Sino-North Africa region.

Ghita Zaroual, Regional Cooperation Director of the Moroccan Office of Vocational Education and Employment Development, highlighted the opportunities provided by digital education to unleash the potential of young people, making meaningful contributions to industry development.

Salah Busbia, Director of International Cooperation Department at Esprit Education Group in Tunisia, encouraged participants to view the competition as a journey of learning, growth, and innovation.

Following the opening remarks, representatives from the participating teams of China, Tunisia, and Morocco introduced themselves and shared their insights and experiences in the competition, showcasing their team spirit.

The Opening Ceremony of the 2023 Inaugural China Regional Final of the Sino-North Africa International Vocational Education Digital Innovation Skills Competition

During the opening ceremony, He Yong, the Executive Director of the Beijing Research Institute for Enterprise-College Education and Technology, congratulated the successful opening of the competition on behalf of the organizing committee. He expressed gratitude to all the units and teams for their strong support in preparing and organizing the event.

Following that, Chen Lu, Secretary-General of the Sino-North Africa International Education Innovation Alliance, delivered a speech. Chen mentioned that the alliance, as the main organizer of the competition, has always adhered to the principles of "connecting and sharing, breaking through and innovating, mutual learning and mutual reference." The competition provides a valuable learning opportunity and a platform for students. The alliance has worked diligently to ensure the competition's success, from design and organization to the on-time opening ceremony. Chen emphasized the commitment to making the competition an academic feast that deepens exchanges, enhances wisdom, promotes cooperation, and brings satisfaction to all. She believed that the competition would create a broader platform for exchange, foster a richer cross-cultural atmosphere, establish a more open mechanism for collaboration between Chinese and foreign universities, generate new ideas, and collectively promote the internationalization of higher vocational education and the high-quality development of higher education.

The competition includes three categories: Additive Manufacturing, Virtual Reality, and Cross-Border E-commerce, with a total of 390 teams and 780 participants in the China Regional competition.

The Sino-North Africa International Education Innovation Alliance, as the main organizer of the competition, has actively implemented President Xi Jinping's proposal to build a community of shared future for mankind. In his keynote speech at the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue on August 26, 2023, President Xi Jinping proposed three measures, one of which is the implementation of the "China-Africa Talent Training Cooperation Plan." Under the guidance of this spirit, the Sino-North Africa International Education Innovation Alliance contributes to building a community of shared future for China and Africa, further serving the "Belt and Road" initiative, promoting international cooperation in vocational education digital innovation in Sino-North Africa, and creating an international exemplary experience in digital development and vocational skills training. With the support and promotion of government departments and universities in Tunisia, Morocco, and other countries, the alliance has scientifically planned this competition to provide a platform for students from different countries to break through, innovate, and learn from each other.