Tianjin Vocational College of Mechanics and Electricity and the Polytechnic Institute of Setubal in Portugal held the Sino-Portugal Seminar on Vocational Education online on Dec 6. It is the third anniversary since the establishment of the Portugal Luban Workshop.

Wang Qianwen, Party chief of Tianjin Vocational College of Mechanics and Electricity, gives a speech at the Sino-Portugal Seminar on Vocational Education held online on Dec 6. [Photo/lubanworkshop.cn]

The event drew attendance of experts and entrepreneurs from the two countries, together with faculty members and students of the universities to discuss the role of the China-proposed EPIP teaching model in introducing reforms to global vocational education.

Jose Pedro Magalhaes Lucas, who is in charge of the Portugal Luban Workshop, delivers a speech at the Sino-Portugal Seminar on Vocational Education held online on Dec 6.[Photo/lubanworkshop.cn]

Jose Pedro Magalhaes Lucas, who is in charge of the Portugal Luban Workshop, gave a speech introducing curricular arrangement and personnel training. EPIP uses engineering, practice, innovation and projects to integrate theoretical teaching and practice. It brings students into real-life work situations to nurture and develop students' comprehensive professional competence and innovative skills.

Meanwhile, the engineering projects and practices also guide and cultivate students' skills in research and problem-solving.

A student from the Portugal Luban Workshop shares his ideas about the EPIP teaching model at the Sino-Portugal Seminar on Vocational Education held online on Dec 6. [Photo/lubanworkshop.cn]

Remarkable achievements have been made over the past three years. A school-enterprise alliance has been in operation, as well as a system related to the disassembly and installation by industrial robots. 

The two governments attach importance to the workshop, said Wang Qianwen, Party chief of Tianjin Vocational College of Mechanics and Electricity. He added that the craftsman spirit featuring hard work, wisdom and innovation should develop the program into a demonstration initiative for China-Portugal cooperation.

Zhang Weijin, president of the college, and Pedro Dominguinhos, president of the Polytechnic Institute of Setubal, signed an agreement for further cooperation.

The new agreement will strengthen bilateral exchanges on professional planning, personnel training, textbook compilation, construction of internship facilities and attendance of professional competitions.