On the morning of June 16, 2017, the 1st Sino-Thai Vocational and Technical Education Forum was held successfully in the Room 201 of the International Exchange Center on the Yucai Campus of the GXNU. On site present were 33 board members, presidents, teachers and experts from 11 Thai vocational colleges, as well as Vice President Su Guifa, and staff representatives from the Office of International Exchange, Normal College of Vocational Technology, College of History, Culture and Tourism of the GXNU.

 Vice President Su Guifa delivered a speech to extend his warm welcome to all the experts from the Thai vocational colleges. He introduced the history of the GXNU and its cooperation with Thai institutions of higher education, and also its teachers'training programs and related achievement in vocational education. He pointed out that vocational education was increasingly important due to the rapid social and economic development and industry transformation and upgrading in China. The current vocational education was still not internationalized enough, and the students trained were still not innovative enough. This situation urgently called for exchange and cooperation in vocational education. A strengthened international cooperation would surely promise a steady and sound development of vocational education. The Thai representatives expressed their own opinions and introduced the development of their own colleges.

 During the forum, the two parities exchanged their experience in and had discussion on ways to innovate vocational education and strengthen international cooperation in vocational education. Based on the results of their current exchange and cooperation, to enrich forms of cooperation, the two parties had reached preliminary agreements on opening "2+2", "3+1" and "2+2+2" Sino-Thai joint programs in tourism management, hotel management and other majors on undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They also agreed on expanding short-term cultural experience projects and exchanging teachers. Finally, the GXNU signed cooperation contracts with the Lakhon Vocational College, the Nakhon Sawan Vocational College, the KhonKaen Vocational College, the Karnchanaburi Vocational College, Suratthani Vocational College, and the Lanna Technical College.

 The GXNU played a leading role in establishing the Normal College of Vocational Education as a second-level unit among all the Chinese normal universities in 2009, thanks to its disciplinary and geographical advantages. The GXNU has been actively exploring the new areas of vocational education teachers' training and has developed a system with an overall coverage of training programs for vocational education teachers at all levels and in all stages, whichdistinguishes the GXNU from the average normal universities. The past 8 years have witnessed a constantly enlarged population of enrollment, reasonable organization, improved faculty, promoted education results, and sound economic returns. Now, the Normal College of Vocational Education of GXNU has become the "State Key Base for Training Vocational Education Teachers" and "Guangxi Base for Training Vocational Education Teachers."

 With its unique advantages and characteristics, the GXNU has now become the leader in teachers' training in Guangxi. The GXNU is now playing a crucial role in invigorating Guangxi through disciplines of arts and science, and also in exchanging with foreign countries. Since 1998, the GXNU has been maintaining friendly cooperativerelations with many Thai colleges and educational institutions. The success of the 1st Sino-Thai Vocational Education Forum has built a platform for the strengthened cooperation and exchange between Chinese and Thai institutions of higher education. The discussion of the experts from the two parties on the vocational education reform and development, and also the strategy for innovating vocational education they proposed will surely be conducive to the furthered development and reform of vocational education.

 Speech by Thai Delegation

 Sino-Thai AgreementSigning

 Conference Site 

 Group Photo