Media Releases

20/8/2007

AusAID's Five and a Half Year Vocational Education Project Ends Successfully in China

The Australia-China (Chongqing) Vocational Education and Training Project concluded this week in Chongqing, China. The five-year bilateral project was jointly funded by the Chinese Government and the Australian Government through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

At the closing ceremony for the project, held in Chongqing on 21 August, Mr Graham Fletcher, Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Beijing said 'Australia's $19 million investment in this project has proved great value for money. It has achieved outcomes well beyond those in the original project plan, has been well received by the Chinese National Government and the Chongqing Municipal Government and has underpinned a strong vocational education partnership between our two countries'.

The closing ceremony was also attended by the Vice Mayor of Chongqing, Mr Huang Qifan, China's Director General of Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education, Mr Huang Yao, and other senior Ministry of Education officials.

'The ACCVETP implemented school, municipal, national and international activities. Fifty-one Chongqing VET schools and colleges and two universities developed and implemented competency based courses based on standards developed by industry under the project,' the Australian Team Leader, Mr Antoine Barnaart said.

Strong formal connections were made between Chinese and Australian VET institutions though 16 fellowship visits to Australia by 197 Chinese counterparts. The Sino-Australia VET Network was also formally established by the project, which has linked 15 Australian Registered VET Training Organisations to Chinese VET Schools, Colleges and Universities.

The Australian Project Director, Ms Virginia Battye said, 'these important international linkages will ensure the sustainability of the project after its conclusion this week'.

All those attending the ceremony agreed that the ACCVETP has been a very successful AusAID project which has further strengthened the friendship between China and Australia.