On 24 and 25 June, Professor Sally Chan, President of Tung Wah College (TWC), participated in a delegation from the Alliance of Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS Alliance) to Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The main aim of the visit was to foster collaboration between the UAS Alliance and leading polytechnic universities in the region and gain in-depth insights into the advanced practices of degree-level vocational education on the Mainland, in order to further the development of Hong Kong UASs.

The delegation, led by Dr Jeff Sze Chun-fai, the Under Secretary for Education, included representatives from the Education Bureau, the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications, and 11 representatives from the four member institutions of the UAS Alliance: Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Saint Francis University, Tung Wah College, and the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong.

The delegation visited two major undergraduate vocational universities in Guangdong province: Guangdong Industry Polytechnic University and Shenzhen Polytechnic University. Through campus tours and meetings with senior management and academic staff, the delegation learned about their latest advancements and strategic directions in vocational education, applied research and models of academic-industry collaboration.

The delegation also met with officials from the Department of Education of Guangdong Province, including Mr Feng Wei, Deputy Director-General; Mr Li Jinjun, Director of the Office for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs; Mr Zhang Jiajun, Director of the Vocational and Lifelong Education Division; Mr Jiang Lin, Director of the Higher Education Division; and other key representatives from the Department. The two parties engaged in in-depth discussions on strengthening the synergistic development of vocational education across Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, with the aim of cultivating talent for the Greater Bay Area, enhancing synergy between industry, academia and research, and advancing meaningful international collaboration.

TWC will continue to strengthen partnerships with Mainland China and the global community, collaborating with the UAS Alliance to advance the development of universities of applied sciences, as well as vocational and professional education and training (VPET).