2025 China-Africa Education Cooperation and Innovation Development Forum Successfully Concluded in Wuhan

Jointly organized by the China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Center and the Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association, SNAEIA, the "2025 China-Africa Education Cooperation and Innovation Development Forum", successfully concluded in Wuhan on November 20-21, 2025. The forum focused on the two themes as: "Innovation and High-Quality Development of China-Africa Vocational Education Cooperation in the New Era" and "Talent Cultivation and Scientific Research Cooperation in China-Africa Higher Education in the Digital-Intelligence Era". 

There are 57 foreign representatives including government dignitaries, foreign ambassadors to China, experts, and scholars from 11 countries, including Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Lesotho, Morocco, Niger, Tanzania, and Tunisia, etc.. attended the forum, together with representatives from Chinese vocational colleges and universities, enterprises, and institutions, bringing total participation to nearly 500 people.

The opening speeches were addressed by: XIA Song, Deputy Director of Department of Science and Technology of Hubei Province; Dr. CHEN Lu, Secretary-General of Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association (SNAEIA); Dr. BISSOONAUTH Rita, Director of UNESCO Liaison Office to AU, UNECA and Representative Office to Ethiopia; HUANG Yang, Director of the Office of Center for Vocational Education Development, Ministry of Education, P.R. China; BELAID Mondher, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Tunisia; Prof. IJJAALI Mustapha, President of Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdelah University and Special Representative of the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation of the Kingdom of Morocco; WANG Yongli, Vice President and Former Secretary General of China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE); KOCHLEF Malek, Director General of the International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific, Tunisia.

In her address, Dr. CHEN Lu, Secretary General of SNAEIA, stated its future strategic planning from three aspects blow: First one is to continuously deepen the friendly relationships with UNESCO, educational authorities of partner countries, and collaborative China-Africa institutions, aiming to build a broader platform and provide enhanced services for innovation in China-Africa vocational education cooperation. And second, based on consolidating the association's existing projects, do great effort to make a steadily advancing establishment of overseas campuses and international industry colleges in collaborations with Chinese and African institutions. The last is to actively explore multimodes for China-Africa education cooperation and innovation, creating exemplary projects in areas such as promoting education equity, and implementing the "Future Africa Talent Program" and the "African Female Campus Program".

The significant outcomes session witnessed the signing of several AGREEMENTs and MOUs between the colleges and universities of China-Africa. The Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association (SNAEIA) signed cooperation agreements with UNESCO and the Ministry of Secondary Education, Vocational and Technical Training (MESFPT) of Burkina Faso. Inner Mongolia Technical College of Mechanics & Electrics signed a cooperation agreement with New Assiut Technological University, Egypt. Shandong Shengli Vocational College signed a cooperation agreement with Private InfoDesign School (Digital & Design), Morocco. The Department of International Cooperation and Exchange, Nantong University and Hassan II University of Casablanca - Faculty of Sciences Ain Chock, Morocco. Beijing Wuzi University and the Moroccan Federation of Private Vocational Education and Its Affiliated Institutions. Hunan Technical College of Railway High-speed and the Institute of Vocational Training of Rabat (IFPRO), Morocco. Anhui Water Conservancy Technical College and Hassan II University of Casablanca - Higher School of Technology of Casablanca (ESTC), Morocco. Wuhan Railway Bridge Vocational College and Hassan II University of Casablanca - Faculty of Sciences Ben M'sick, Morocco.

Guided by the "Beijing Declaration on Building an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era" and the "Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027)", and revolving around the theme "New Opportunities for Innovative Cooperation, Working Together for Modernization", the forum delved into its two core themes. Through variety of the sessions including "Minister's Perspective on Vocational Education", keynote reports by Chinese and international experts, "Face-to-Face Communication with Ambassadors to China", the "China-Africa Presidents' Round-table Dialogue", and "Think Tank Empowerment", which established a high-quality, high-standard, and extensive dialogue platform. This platform fostered cultural understanding and wisdom sharing through intellectual exchange, facilitating joint discussions on new pathways for China-Africa higher education cooperation and innovation, and exploring a new ecosystem for the innovative development of China-Africa vocational education in the new era.

The awards and accreditation segment included: Presentation of certificates for Outstanding China–Africa Cooperation Cases selected by “Education International Exchange”, awarded by Zhang Jian, General Manager of “Education International Exchange” (Note:Supervised by the Ministry of Education of the P.R.C.); Presentation of honorary certificates by H.E. BITIE Daouda, Ambassador of Burkina Faso to China, and Mr. BASSOLE Hyppolyte Lougne, Chief of Cabinet of Ministry of Secondary Education, Vocational and Technical Training of Burkina Faso, to Chinese experts who made notable contributions to advancing China–Burkina Faso vocational education cooperation; Certificates issued by representatives of the Office of Vocational Training and Employment Promotion of Morocco (OFPPT) to institutions certified under the Morocco Vocational Education Standards and Accreditation Project.

The forum also hosted the prestigious Establishment Ceremony of the 2025 Belt & Road and BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation --North Africa International Competition Executive Committee, followed by the Certificate Awarding Ceremony for Chinese and Foreign Organizing Committee Members and Experts. The "2025 Belt & Road and BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation"(BRICS Competition) is National A Class Competition in China. The inclusion of Sino-North Africa Vocational Education Digital Innovation Skills Competition as a component event within the BRICS competition framework marks a significant milestone.

On November 21, the forum organizing committee released the Consensus. Participants unanimously recognized that SNAEIA taking projects as its foundation, quality as its objective, and service as its core principle, has truly responded to China’s strategy for educational opening-up, kept pace with digitalization actively and internationalization trends, and provided high-standard services to both Chinese and international vocational education partners. These efforts have made the contribution significantly to developing a new highland for educational opening-up and building a China-Africa education cooperation and exchange community.

The consensus delivered the satisfaction that the forum achieved notable outcomes and successfully realized its objectives. Looking ahead, the participants pledged into embrace the ongoing trends of digitalization and internationalization, to continuously enhance services supporting China–Africa higher education cooperation, to implement innovative development principles, and to align with the emerging development paradigm. They also committed to building internationally recognized program brands. Furthermore, the consensus emphasized the need to broaden and deepen China–Africa educational cooperation, strengthen common understanding, promote mutual learning and knowledge-sharing, deepen collaborative initiatives, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and jointly advance the development of a robust China–Africa education cooperation community.

(Photo Credits: Xie Gong, Zhang Tao, Bo Chunqi, Yun Yang, Xie Chaokun)