South Africa and China Strengthen TVET Ties with New Cooperation Agreement
South Africa’s efforts to enhance vocational education received a major boost following the recent signing of a Joint Declaration of Cooperation (JDC) between the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Beijing Polytechnic College (BPC) in China.
The agreement was signed during the State Visit to the People’s Republic of China led by President Cyril Ramaphosa from 2 to 4 September 2024.
Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, was among the South African delegation that took part in the historic visit. The visit also coincided with the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit held in Beijing from 4 to 5 September 2024.
The agreement is centered on strengthening Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) cooperation between nine South African TVET colleges—one from each province—and BPC.
Leading the South African contingent is Vhembe TVET College, supported by Northlink College, Coastal KZN TVET College, Gert Sibande College, Ekurhuleni West TVET College, ORBIT TVET College, Motheo TVET College, Northern Cape Urban (NCU) TVET College, and Eastcape Midlands College.
Under the Joint Declaration, the parties have committed to collaboration in five key areas:
- Joint research initiatives
- Faculty and student exchange programmes
- Curriculum development
- Technology transfer and incubation
- Capacity building and training for TVET educators
The partnership is aimed at improving the responsiveness and relevance of South African TVET colleges in addressing the demands of a changing economy, particularly in technology and innovation.
This week, from 7 to 13 July 2025, a DHET task team led by Mr. Sam Zungu, Deputy Director-General responsible for the TVET branch, is visiting Beijing Polytechnic College to finalise the implementation plan for a major exchange initiative.
As part of this plan, the first cohort of 100 South African students will be selected to study at BPC starting in September 2025. The students will be trained in cutting-edge fields such as electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and big data analytics.
Speaking on the visit, Mr. Zungu said the partnership reflects a significant step in ensuring that South Africa’s vocational education system keeps pace with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. “Our goal is to empower young South Africans with future-ready skills through international exposure and innovation-led training,” he said.
The DHET views this China-South Africa TVET collaboration as a long-term strategic investment in human capital development. With growing emphasis on digital technologies and green energy solutions, the partnership also aligns with South Africa’s broader economic transformation and industrial policy objectives.
As the first group of students prepares to depart in the coming months, both countries anticipate that this collaboration will foster deeper educational, cultural, and technological ties—building a bridge for shared progress in the years to come.
