BEIJING, Dec 24: Jinsong Li, China Side Chairman of the China Pakistan TVET-Industrial Center of Excellence (CPTICE) has said that 269 Pakistani students are currently enrolled in China-Pakistan dual diploma programs in agriculture related majors.
In his presentation at the 2nd Pakistan-China TVET Forum on Fostering Skills and Talent in Agriculture through Academia-Industry, held at the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing yesterday, he highlighted that, under the CPTICE framework, significant progress has been made in recent years.
He said that 269 students are currently enrolled in China-Pakistan dual-diploma programs in agriculture-related majors, with 59 of them having proceeded to China for further studies after completing their first two years in Pakistan, and 10 students having already graduated with dual diplomas recognized by both countries; multiple short-term skills training sessions on agricultural themes have been organized in collaboration with Chinese enterprises such as Royal JW Buffalo Disease-Free Farm, covering nearly a thousand corporate employees, teachers, and students; and 14 core digital courses have been developed, covering various agriculture-related specializations including Modern Agricultural Technology, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Technology, Grain Storage, Transportation & Quality Safety, and Chinese Herbal Medicine Cultivation Technology.
“The CPTICE is dedicated to facilitate Pakistan build a world hub for skilled workforce to release and realize its population dividend, hundreds of thousands of Pakistani youths are benefited from CPTICE platform. We welcome more Chinese and Pakistani TVET organizations and enterprises to joint this initiative to further boost TVET cooperation between China and Pakistan”, said Que Haitao, Member and Secretary of Board of Management of CPTICE.
The China Pakistan TVET-Industrial Center of Excellence, jointly established by the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission of Pakistan and TANG International Education Group, has long been dedicated to building a platform for China-Pakistan industry-education cooperation.
To date, CPTICE has facilitated various collaborative projects between Chinese and Pakistani educational institutions in fields such as agriculture, infrastructure, energy, mining, healthcare, mechanical manufacturing, electric vehicles, and ICT. These projects encompass China-Pakistan dual-diploma programs, short-term “Chinese + Vocational Skills” training, teacher training, and joint development of digital course resources.
Earlier, Li Zhi, Deputy Director General of the Vocational & Adult Education Department, Ministry of Education of China, and Ma Hezu, Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China, attended the forum and delivered keynote remarks.
Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Ch., Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives; Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research; and Ms. Gulmina Bilal Ahmad, Chairperson of the National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and Pakistan Side Chairperson of the CPTICE, addressed the forum via video messages.
Together, they emphasized the importance and urgency of strengthening China-Pakistan TVET cooperation for the development of Pakistan’s agricultural industry.
In his remarks, Khalil Hashmi, Ambassador of Pakistan to China, stressed the critical importance of integrating TVET with Chinese investments in Pakistan’s priority economic sectors, particularly agriculture.
He underscored the necessity of establishing a sustained skills development mechanism based on industry-academia-research collaboration to enhance productivity, ensure food security, and promote inclusive growth in Pakistan.
The forum aimed to promote more cooperative projects in the agricultural sector between Chinese and Pakistani TVET institutions and enterprises through the integration of industry and education, enhance the skill levels of Pakistani youth, and contribute to the deepening of bilateral agricultural industrial cooperation.
