On June 5th, our college proudly hosted the opening of the Silk Road e-Commerce Workshop (South Africa) 2024, heralding the commencement of a one-year cross-border e-commerce skills training program for twenty-one South African international students, beneficiaries of national scholarships. This initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Higher Education and Training of South Africa, signifies a groundbreaking endeavor as WHVCSE becomes the first full-time vocational college in central China to undertake such a program, marking a pivotal stride towards the internationalization of higher vocational education.

Group photo at the opening of the Silk Road e-Commerce Workshop

(South Africa) 2024

The opening ceremony witnessed the presence of a distinguished delegation comprising seven members from the Wholesale & Retail SETA board, led by Mr. Katudi David Makuwa, alongside Mr. Wei Chen from the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Wuhan Municipal Committee, and representatives from leading enterprises including Wuhan Changmao Digital Co., Ltd., Wuhan Fiberhome Fuhua Electric Co., Ltd., Wuhan Guomaotong Big Data Co., Ltd., Wuhan Yihuo Sanyan Cross-Border E-Commerce Co., Ltd., and Hubei New Silk Road International Cooperation and Exchange Promotion Association. Additionally, various departments of the college and the twenty-one international students from the Silk Road e-Commerce Workshop (South Africa) graced the occasion, with Vice President Sun Meihua presiding over the proceedings.

Speech by Mr. Jiang Xingpeng, President of WHVCSE

President Jiang Xingpeng elucidated that over the course of one year, South African students will not only acquire fundamental knowledge and practical skills in cross-border e-commerce but also gain profound insights into emerging market trends and core dynamics. “South Africa, as a vital partner in the Belt and Road Initiative, boasts immense potential in the e-commerce arena. This initiative epitomizes our college’s tangible contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative and endeavors to foster economic exchanges between China and South Africa. We aspire that through this e-commerce workshop, we can provide abundant learning opportunities and employment avenues for South African youth, thereby mutually advancing the development of cross-border e-commerce in both China and South Africa,” remarked President Jiang.

Speech by Thandeka Ntshangase, official from the Wholesale & Retail SETA

Mrs. Sun Meihua, Vice President of WHVCSE, presiding over the opening ceremony

The heads of WHVCSE International School and Business School highlighted that this cross-border e-commerce skills training program will be meticulously tailored to the specific attributes of South African youth, encompassing three key modules: e-commerce technology skills, hands-on training within the industrial ecosystem, and cultural immersion. The program spans one year, comprising three months of on-campus instruction and nine months of immersive local business internships. In addition to equipping students with e-commerce expertise, WHVCSE has curated bespoke courses on Chinese intangible cultural heritage (such as lantern making, paper cutting, Chinese chess, and Tujia hand-waving dance) and traditional Chinese medicine. Notably, international students have adopted charming Chinese names for themselves, including “Ge Ge” (princess), “Li Wu” (Gift), and “Nuli” (endeavor).

Mr. Chen Lei, Deputy Director of Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Education, interacting with the international students at our college

International students experiencing traditional Chinese medicine culture

Mr. Li Shangsong, General Manager of Wuhan Changmao Digital Co., Ltd., affirmed his company’s commitment to collaborating with WHVCSE in implementing a nine-month off-campus practical training program, thereby jointly launching a vocational education cooperation project focused on cross-border e-commerce between China and South Africa. This initiative aims to bolster vocational education collaboration between the two nations, deepen industry-education integration, and propagate the Chinese solution to cross-border e-commerce education on a global scale.

Speech by Mr. Li Shangsong, General Manager of Wuhan Changmao Digital Co., Ltd.

“South Africa grapples with a soaring unemployment rate, and we earnestly seek to acquire valuable skills from China to contribute towards alleviating this pressing issue back home,” expressed student representative Roni during the opening ceremony.

Speech by student representative Roni

As pivotal members of the Global South and BRICS countries, both China and South Africa harbor immense potential for collaboration in vocational education. The collaborative journey between WHVCSE and the Department of Higher Education and Training of South Africa commenced in September 2023, with Zhao Zhenzi, a faculty member from our Business School, clinching the gold medal in the international finals of the Business Digitization Capability Competition at the BRICS Skills Competition held in Johannesburg, South Africa. This milestone marked the inception of a fruitful partnership between the two entities, poised to advance vocational education cooperation between China and South Africa.