On September 24, the Shanghai Thematic Parallel Session on Skills Development of the 2026 WorldSkills Conference (hereinafter referred to as “the Parallel Session”) was held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). With the theme of “Skills Shine, Empowering High-Quality Urban Development,” the Parallel Session aimed to present to the international community Shanghai’s practical experience, achievements, and future directions in skills development, so as to build consensus and pool wisdom for empowering high-quality urban development through skills. Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security; Zhu Zhongming, Acting Mayor of Shanghai; and David Hoey, Chief Executive Officer of WorldSkills International, attended the Parallel Session. Yan Qinghui, Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Security; Chen Jie, Vice Mayor of Shanghai; and David Hoey delivered keynote speeches.

One of the key segments of the Parallel Session was a centralized twinning signing ceremony, in which nine vocational colleges in Shanghai and nine overseas vocational colleges signed twinning agreements to jointly build an international partner network for vocational education. Mr. Zhang Zhengrong, President of SUCC, and Mr. Chai Kuek Heng, Director of the Centre for Student Support & International Relations at Nanyang Polytechnic, completed the twinning signing on behalf of the two institutions, witnessed by the leaders and guests present. During the case presentation segment, SUCC’s international cooperation achievements were presented at the Parallel Session as a typical case. The University has co-built a skills talent cultivation platform with a Thai institution, promoting the integration of collaborative teaching outcomes into the local national education system.

Participation in this Parallel Session served as an important opportunity for SUCC to deepen international vocational education exchange on the WorldSkills platform. The University will continue to leverage its strengths in international cooperation practice, consolidate its partnerships with overseas institutions in Singapore, Thailand, and beyond, and expand the breadth and depth of international cooperation. It will actively share its vocational education achievements, using skills as a bridge and cooperation as a bond to support the opening-up of Shanghai’s vocational education, and will keep contributing to the cultivation of high-caliber technical and skilled talent with an international vision.