Amidst crisp autumn air and enduring friendship, the China-Morocco Vocational Education Development Seminar took place on November 26, 2025, in Conference Room B303 of Jiangxingyuan Building at Shanghai Donghai College (SDC). Centered on the theme “Deepening Vocational Education Cooperation for Mutual Development and Win-Win Results”, the event brought together representatives from both countries’ vocational education sectors to exchange insights and map out collaborative pathways.
Moroccan delegates included: Mr. Benhilal Abdelilah, President of the Moroccan Federation of Private Professional Education (FMEP); Mr. Dadsi Jawad, FMEP Vice President/Principal; Ms. Rouhi Hind , Secretary General of the Institute of Vocational Training of Rabat (IFPRO); Mr. Bensaid Hilal, IFPRO Principal; Mr. Dine Mohammed, General Manager of the Institute Work Center Oujda; Mr. Kriouile, Abdelouahed Principal of MIAGE Group – Private Institute of Vocational Training; and Mr. El Kayloubi Abdelaziz, Principal of the Private InfoDesign School (Digital & Design). Representing SDC were President Professor He Ying, heads of the International Exchange Department, and deans of relevant academic units. The seminar was hosted by Meng Zhaoshang, Director of SDC’s International Exchange Department.
In the opening address, President He Ying extended a warm welcome to the Moroccan delegation and outlined SDC’s achievements, alongside the development of private vocational education in Shanghai, with support from a promotional video. Founded in 1993 as one of China’s pioneering private higher vocational colleges, SDC has upheld its commitment to vocational education for 33 years. Leveraging the legacy of its successive leaders and a focus on connotative development, it secures the 3rd position nationwide and 1st in Shanghai in the Shanghai Ranking of vocational colleges. President He highlighted technological innovations such as the “Donghai-1” and “Donghai-2” UAVs, and reviewed the solid cooperation foundation established through overseas “Chinese Language+Vocational Skills” bases, professional standard certifications, and teacher exchange programs. She emphasized the alignment of both sides’ educational missions, expressing aspirations for deeper multi-dimensional collaboration to advance China-Morocco vocational education, and wished the guests a fruitful stay in Shanghai.
In his remarks, Mr. Benhilal Abdelilah thanked the college for its hospitality and provided an overview of Morocco’s private vocational education landscape. Established in 2010, FMEP serves as the authoritative body for private vocational education in Morocco, comprising multiple professional associations. Its core mandate is to integrate vocational education with the labor market and boost youth employment, and the country’s private vocational education sector now counts 1,456 institutions closely linked to industrial needs, with each visiting institution boasting unique strengths. Specifically, the Institute of Vocational Training of Rabat (IFPRO), founded in 1998, specializes in business and engineering skills training and stands as a benchmark for private vocational education in Morocco; the Institute Work Center Oujda, the largest medical vocational education institution in eastern Morocco, focuses on nursing programs and maintains close partnerships with international medical organizations; the MIAGE Group – Private Institute of Vocational Training, established in 1966, operates across multiple cities, focusing on management, IT, and related fields, and is renowned as the Cradle of Skilled Professionals due to its high employment rate; and the Private InfoDesign School (Digital & Design) excels in digital and design programs, with collaborations with the European Union and numerous enterprises that emphasize practical teaching and international exchanges. Mr. Benhilal commended the success of prior cooperation initiatives, including the “Chinese Language+Vocational Skills” base and the proposed “Donghai Workshop” launched by SDC in Morocco, and expressed eagerness to expand collaboration in teacher exchanges, project upgrading, and academic research to achieve resource sharing and mutual benefit.
Witnessed by all attendees, a key milestone in China-Morocco cooperation and a highlight of the seminar saw President He Ying and Mr. Benhilal Abdelilah formally sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), heralding a new phase of deepened vocational education collaboration.
During the event, the Moroccan delegation, accompanied by Meng Zhaoshang, Ji Chunlei (Dean of the School of Information Engineering), and Zhang Meiqin (Dean of the School of Nursing), visited the UAV Laboratory and the School of Nursing. They gained first-hand insights into the college’s technological innovation capabilities and practical teaching models, commending its high standard of education. Following the visit, the seminar concluded successfully, and the delegation departed Shanghai.
The seminar’s success has established a high-quality platform for China-Morocco vocational education exchanges, deepening mutual trust and laying a solid foundation for future cooperation. Building on this momentum, SDC will continue to advance internationalization, strengthen partnerships with global vocational education institutions, and contribute to the high-quality development of China-Morocco vocational education and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
correspondent：Liu Yichen
