On March 21, a delegation led by Mr. Thomas Malcherek, General Manager of HWK Erfurt, visited Yangpu Campus of Shanghai Urban Construction Vocational College (SUCC). Vice President Guo Hongtao warmly received the guests, accompanied by Director of the International Cooperation Division Yu Limin, Deputy Dean of the School of City Operation& Management Bao Yan, program directors Tang Yujiao (Construction Intelligent Engineering), Liu Tingting (Modern Logistics Management), Chen Bin (Intelligent Operations Technology), and Wu Haiying (Safety Technology and Management), as well as relevant staff from the International Cooperation Division.

During the meeting, Vice President Guo Hongtao introduced the college’s profile, educational achievements, and Sino-German vocational education cooperation. She emphasized that Germany’s dual vocational training system is a global benchmark, and HWK Erfurt possesses extensive expertise in this field. Noting the college’s existing partnerships with German enterprises, she expressed hope for exploring feasible collaborations to establish an international platform, broaden global perspectives for faculty and students, and enhance the quality of international skilled talent cultivation.

Mr. Thomas Malcherek expressed gratitude for the hospitality and provided a detailed overview of HWK Erfurt’s initiatives and its ongoing cooperative projects with Chinese vocational institutions. He highlighted the strong alignment between HWK Erfurt’s programs and our college’s disciplines, proposing to leverage past successful cases to identify tailored cooperation models that suit the college’s characteristics and jointly advance Sino-German vocational education.

In the discussion session, Deputy Dean Bao Yan presented the programs of the School of City Operation& Management and showcased images of the college’s industry-collaborated training bases. She proposed potential cooperation in student exchanges, credit recognition, and faculty training to promote internationalization in teaching. Mr. Malcherek praised the college’s training facilities, educational philosophy, and outcomes, expressing willingness to develop customized programs aligned with the college’s internationalization goals to foster mutual learning between the two countries’ vocational education systems.

HWK Erfurt, a large-scale German trade association, represents 14,039 member companies, 69,500 employees, and 3,216 apprentices. With state-of-the-art training facilities and an integrated training-certification model, it is the birthplace of Germany’s dual vocational system and a standard-setter for European vocational training. Boasting 20 years of experience in China, HWK Erfurt has collaborated extensively with both government agencies and higher education institutions.

In the next phase, the two institutions will negotiate specific cooperation projects and frameworks based on their respective strengths, focusing on faculty-student exchanges and talent development initiatives to establish pragmatic and efficient international partnerships.