SCO delegates explore Luban Workshop model in Tianjin

Hundreds of foreign delegates attending the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin visited the Luban Workshop Experience Hall in late August to learn about China's international cooperation in vocational education. They tried out teaching equipment, including those related to robotics, traditional Chinese medicine, and high-speed rail simulation.

"Luban has long been regarded as a symbol of the wisdom of Chinese workers. Today, the spirit of Luban represents masterful skills, striving for excellence, and a commitment to innovation," said Xia Hongmei, a teacher at Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College.

She explained that the Luban Workshop uses the EPIP, or Engineering, Practice, Innovation, Project, teaching model, which focuses on real-world engineering projects to enhance students' hands-on and innovative abilities.

"We have trained over 1,000 international teachers and students in artificial intelligence and robotics," she said. "Through hands-on work, students learn the principles of mechanical design and hone their logical thinking."

The Thailand Luban Workshop was the first overseas Luban Workshop. In 2018, Tianjin Railway Technical and Vocational College joined the project and established a railway center.

Song Mingrui, a teacher at Tianjin Railway Technical and Vocational College, said, "The train simulator can replicate complex road conditions, helping train drivers to improve their ability to respond to unexpected malfunctions during daily training."

Over the past decade, through the Luban Workshop, the college has trained more than 200 professionals in rail transit for Thailand.

Tianjin Railway Technical and Vocational College has deepened cooperation with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, training nearly 5,000 employees for railway projects in these countries.

To date, Tianjin has established 25 Luban Workshops in 23 countries.

In December, the World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference attracted representatives from over 100 countries. During the conference, ministers from 32 countries jointly released the Tianjin Consensus on World Technical and Vocational Education and Training Development, calling for more flexible vocational education systems.

Saken Oralbek, a postgraduate student at East Kazakhstan Technical University, said, "Using equipment from China, our university took the lead in establishing a smart transportation course and laboratory. Other schools didn't have such advanced facilities."

"Nearly half of China's technologies and products have now integrated with the global market. We should contribute our strength and solutions," said Lyv Jingquan, director of the Luban Workshop Construction Expert Committee.

Zang Yifan and Gao Meilin contributed to this story.