LONDON – BEIJING LONDON – BEIJING WORLD CITY LINKSWORLD CITY LINKS

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROJECTVOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROJECT

Julian Vennis Julian Vennis (Director – World City Links)(Director – World City Links)

London-Beijing World City LinksLondon-Beijing World City Links

PROJECT BACKGROUNDPROJECT BACKGROUND The Project twins vocational The Project twins vocational

high schools in Beijing with high schools in Beijing with London FE CollegesLondon FE Colleges

It developed at the request of It developed at the request of the Beijing Municipal Education the Beijing Municipal Education CommissionCommission

Building on a successful schools Building on a successful schools links projectlinks project

A formal agreement was signed A formal agreement was signed in February 2006 between BMEC in February 2006 between BMEC and AoC London Regionand AoC London Region

Initial Financial support from PMIInitial Financial support from PMI

PROJECT BACKGROUNDPROJECT BACKGROUND Main objectives are collaborative Main objectives are collaborative

activities for mutual benefit:activities for mutual benefit:– joint curriculum developmentjoint curriculum development– management/staff developmentmanagement/staff development– student exchangesstudent exchanges

To improve the quality of the To improve the quality of the vocational education and vocational education and relevance to economic, social and relevance to economic, social and Olympic needs of the two cities Olympic needs of the two cities

Increasing focus on the ‘LEST’ Increasing focus on the ‘LEST’ objectives- learning lessons on objectives- learning lessons on skills & employment benefits for skills & employment benefits for 20122012

COLLEGE LINKSCOLLEGE LINKS City and Islington College - Beijing Business SchoolCity and Islington College - Beijing Business School- - OpticsOptics College of North West LondonCollege of North West London - Electrical Engineering College- Electrical Engineering College- - Air Conditioning & EnglishAir Conditioning & English Ealing, H’smith & West London - Chang Ping Vocational SchoolEaling, H’smith & West London - Chang Ping Vocational School- - Airline Services & CateringAirline Services & Catering Greenwich Community College Greenwich Community College - Foreign Affairs School- Foreign Affairs School- - TourismTourism Newham CollegeNewham College - Shang Mao School- Shang Mao School- - Financial ServicesFinancial Services Southwark CollegeSouthwark College - Capital Railway Health School- Capital Railway Health School- - Medical EnglishMedical English London College of Beauty Therapy - Jin Song SchoolLondon College of Beauty Therapy - Jin Song School- - Hair & BeautyHair & Beauty

COLLEGE LINKSCOLLEGE LINKS Hackney Community College Hackney Community College - Economic Management School- Economic Management School- - Financial ServicesFinancial Services City of Westminster College City of Westminster College - Manuft’ing & Technology School- Manuft’ing & Technology School & St Francis Xavier SF College& St Francis Xavier SF College- - Art & DesignArt & Design Capel Manor CollegeCapel Manor College - Chang Ping Vocational School- Chang Ping Vocational School- Horticulture- Horticulture Havering CollegeHavering College - Shun Yi Technical School- Shun Yi Technical School- - Motor VehicleMotor Vehicle Harrow CollegeHarrow College - Shang Mao School- Shang Mao School- - Food TechnologyFood Technology Uxbridge College (Uxbridge College (IT)IT) - Construction & Materials School- Construction & Materials School & College of NE London (& College of NE London (ConstructionConstruction)) Barnet College Barnet College - Jin Song School- Jin Song School- PhotographyPhotography South Thames CollegeSouth Thames College - - National Culture & Arts SchoolNational Culture & Arts School- Music Technology- Music Technology

LDA OBJECTIVES & TARGETSLDA OBJECTIVES & TARGETS Objectives include:Objectives include:

– The Development of the capacity of London Colleges The Development of the capacity of London Colleges to link internationallyto link internationally

– Development of curriculum projects to learn lessons Development of curriculum projects to learn lessons from Beijing 2008 relevant to vocational education in from Beijing 2008 relevant to vocational education in LondonLondon

– Delivery of general skills training to London students Delivery of general skills training to London students on how to make the most of the gameson how to make the most of the games

Output targets for the 3 years from 2007 to 2010 Output targets for the 3 years from 2007 to 2010 are:are:– 450 students and 50 staff gaining at least six hours 450 students and 50 staff gaining at least six hours

worth of skills development activityworth of skills development activity– 60% of these should be BAME, 50% women, and 10% 60% of these should be BAME, 50% women, and 10%

disabled peopledisabled people

Contribution to Olympic Contribution to Olympic SkillsSkills

Help prepare the City for hosting London Help prepare the City for hosting London 20122012

30 Students help deliver in Beijing in 200830 Students help deliver in Beijing in 2008 Staff and Students gain real understanding Staff and Students gain real understanding

in how their partner college contributed to in how their partner college contributed to OlympicsOlympics

Improved cultural understanding Improved cultural understanding especially in hospitality and health sectorsespecially in hospitality and health sectors

Greater motivation to become volunteersGreater motivation to become volunteers

LDA TARGETS ACHIEVEDLDA TARGETS ACHIEVEDTargets delivered:Targets delivered: 2007/08:2007/08: Total 210 (inc 37 staff)Total 210 (inc 37 staff) BME Total 166 (inc 18 staff), 79% of the totalBME Total 166 (inc 18 staff), 79% of the total Women Total 132 (inc 27 staff), 63% of the totalWomen Total 132 (inc 27 staff), 63% of the total Disabled Total 22 (21 students, 1 staff), 10% of Disabled Total 22 (21 students, 1 staff), 10% of

the totalthe total 2008/09:2008/09: Total 221 (inc 35 staff)Total 221 (inc 35 staff) BME Total 157 (inc 10 staff) 71% of the totalBME Total 157 (inc 10 staff) 71% of the total Women 136 (inc 20 staff) 62% of the totalWomen 136 (inc 20 staff) 62% of the total Disabled 11 (inc 1 staff) 5% of the totalDisabled 11 (inc 1 staff) 5% of the total

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTSOTHER ACHIEVEMENTS Many Reciprocal visits of managers to each Many Reciprocal visits of managers to each

other’s collegesother’s colleges 18 colleges twinned from each City18 colleges twinned from each City Formal partnership agreements now signed by Formal partnership agreements now signed by

Principals in each collegePrincipals in each college Beijing office established with 8 subscribersBeijing office established with 8 subscribers Joint curriculum projects well establishedJoint curriculum projects well established More specific projects now being establishedMore specific projects now being established

JOINT CURRICULUM JOINT CURRICULUM PROJECTSPROJECTS

For staff and students For staff and students to learn about each to learn about each otherother

To build trust and To build trust and understandingunderstanding

Examples include:Examples include:– Sports visionSports vision– Fashion projectFashion project

Workshops will share Workshops will share examples of other examples of other projects specifically projects specifically connected to the connected to the GamesGames

OTHER EMERGING OTHER EMERGING PROJECTSPROJECTS

Optics course being Optics course being delivered in Beijingdelivered in Beijing

Supporting Supporting development of development of Western CuisineWestern Cuisine

Delivery of UK Delivery of UK qualificationsqualifications

Staff development Staff development programmes in UK programmes in UK e.g. with CELe.g. with CEL

LESSONS LEARNEDLESSONS LEARNED Good liaison / local links are essentialGood liaison / local links are essential Support of Government in Beijing was criticalSupport of Government in Beijing was critical Principal level support in UK needed in first instancePrincipal level support in UK needed in first instance Financial support of the British Council/PMI was Financial support of the British Council/PMI was

really helpful in starting the projectreally helpful in starting the project LDA support has been LDA support has been crucialcrucial to continuation to continuation Developing links with China takes time, patience Developing links with China takes time, patience

and many visitsand many visits Communication is a constant challengeCommunication is a constant challenge Not every project will workNot every project will work There has been real learning on how to support There has been real learning on how to support

London 2012London 2012

LESSONS LEARNEDLESSONS LEARNED Student participant in a visit:Student participant in a visit:

– ““One of the most important experiences of One of the most important experiences of my life”my life”

Staff participant:Staff participant:– ““The best staff development I’ve ever done”The best staff development I’ve ever done”

Student participant in college training:Student participant in college training:– ““I’m going to volunteer for 2012 – it will help I’m going to volunteer for 2012 – it will help

me get on in my life and my career”me get on in my life and my career”

THANK YOUTHANK YOUXIE XIEXIE XIE

London-Beijing World City LinksLondon-Beijing World City Links