China NCET launches ICDL as the first 1+X policy recommended solution for vocational colleges

To implement the new vocational education reform policy announced by Chinese Ministry of Education, National Centre for Educational Technology (NCET) held a conference at Nanjing Vocational College of Information Technology on 10 April 2019, to launch the new project – Upskilling and Certifying the Digital Skills of Chinese Vocational College Students.     

The conference started with the sharing of 1+X Policy by Deputy Director of Vocational and Adult Education Division of MOE, Mr. Dong Zhenhua.  This new policy encourages vocational students to graduate with not only the diploma from the college, but also with one or several occupational skills-based certifications. 

Mr. Han Jun, Deputy Chief Director of NCET, further highlighted that to enhance employability of the students, it is important for vocational colleges to look for certification programmes that are recognised by the industry.  That is why NCET would recommend ICDL programme as the first solution for vocational colleges in China.  It is skills based, highly practical, and recognised in the world as the global digital skills standard. 

In the afternoon, Deputy Chief of Nanjing Education Bureau, Mr. Pan Dongbiao, shared the ICDL pilot experience in Nanjing through the Digital Challenge Competition and teachers training; Principle of Nanjing Vocational College of Finance and Economics, Mr. Yao Feng, further shared the experience of their teachers and students learning ICDL, and the plan to roll out ICDL to the entire school. 

More than 500 participants from about 290 vocational colleges throughout China attended the conference.  They will apply via NCET Provincial Offices to implement ICDL from the new academic year in September, and some will start teachers training earlier with support from ICDL Asia National Partner AMI Information and Technology (Nanjing) Co., Ltd.   

Impressed by the commitment from Chinese government and positive feedback from the vocational colleges, Mr. Damien O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of ICDL Foundation commented, “ICDL is truly a global standard and this is achieved by deep implementation locally in every country and market.  We now started bringing ICDL into China as a foreign standard, but we are committed to building the programme as locally recognised as possible.  We are certainly looking forward to China joining the ICDL global community and start contributing the unique Chinese experience to the global standard as well.”