Representatives of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany – Dr Wolfgang Manig, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Economic Section, and Ms Luisa Bergfeld, First Secretary, Deputy Head of German Development Cooperation, together with Ms Simone Wunsch, Country Director of KfW Development Bank in Vietnam and officers from KfW and GIZ visited the Vocational College of Machinery and Irrigation (VCMI) on 10 September 2018 to get an overview of the planned and ongoing activities of the technical and financial development cooperation.

The delegates received inputs and discussed with the management staff of VCMI about the development milestones of the college, the implementation and impacts of the capacity development activities for teaching and management staff supported by the GIZ programme “Reform of Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Vietnam” and the preparation for the delivery of equipment and construction of buildings financed by KfW Development Bank. They also visited classrooms, practical training workshops and talked to teachers and trainees of the college. “I am impressed by the dedication and commitment of the teachers and management staff of VCMI to transform their college into a Centre of Excellence for Green TVET. First results are already visible”, Ms Luisa Bergfeld, who is responsible for the priority area TVET of the German Development Cooperation, stated.

VCMI is being supported in developing towards a Centre of Excellence for Green TVET, which offers initial and further training according to the demands of a green and sustainable economy. Specifically, VCMI is being supported in the development and piloting of a basic module on “environmental protection, energy and resource efficiency”, of new initial training offers according to the need of a green economy as well as further training offers based on the demands of the business sector. In addition, VCMI will be enabled to offer further training for teaching and management staff of other TVET institutes and to fulfil the role of a regional hub for Green TVET for CLMV countries (Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam).

Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Nguyen Van Chuong, rector of VCMI, emphasized “The support from the programme “Reform of TVET in Vietnam” has improved our college’s performance significantly, especially in the capacity and qualifications of teaching and management staff as well as the management of practical training workshops. We have a much clearer pathway and strategies to develop the college into a Centre of Excellence for Green TVET.”