China has established 38 Luban Workshops in 32 countries, offering vocational education and skills training to students overseas.
China has established 38 Luban Workshops in 32 countries, providing academic education to more than 30,000 students and non-degree training to over 160,000 participants, according to figures released by China’s Ministry of Education on Oct. 12th.
The workshops are overseas vocational education and training projects jointly established by Chinese and foreign educational institutions. They offer academic programmes and skills training in various fields.
One example is the Luban Workshop at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Astana, Kazakhstan, which focuses on artificial intelligence and technical skills.
There, second-year artificial intelligence student Yerasyl operates a robotic arm on a conveyor belt. His research project uses machine vision to identify the health of plant seedlings at different stages of growth.
As more visitors gather around the equipment, he takes a microphone and explains his work.
The workshop is the second of its kind in Kazakhstan. Tianjin Vocational Institute and L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University jointly established the facility. It has four training areas covering intelligent collaborative robots, simulated production lines, machine vision and large drones.
“With the Luban Workshop, we can now operate automated equipment directly and take part in project testing and practical work,” said Zhansaya, another student majoring in artificial intelligence.
She said Kazakhstan’s digitalisation and automation were advancing, creating a need for more skilled workers in these fields. She hopes to find a good job after graduation.
Students at the university completed the projects demonstrated at the workshop. These included robotic arm coordination and machine vision recognition. They operated the equipment and explained how it worked and where it could be used.
Sadwokassov, a teacher at Eurasian National University, said students had shown strong interest in the training and adapted quickly.
Last year, 15 teachers from the university travelled to Tianjin Vocational Institute in China for structured training. After returning to Kazakhstan, they worked with their Chinese counterparts to refine the curriculum and teaching plans to reflect the university’s needs and local training requirements.
The results had exceeded expectations, Sadwokassov said. The university also plans to expand its training programmes as student interest grows.
The first overseas Luban Workshop opened in Thailand in 2016. It offered six vocational programmes, including mechatronics, the Internet of Things, mechanical manufacturing and automation, new energy vehicle technology, high-speed train maintenance and railway signalling.
Since then, the programme has expanded to other countries in Asia, including India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Cambodia.
The workshops have also reached Europe. A workshop focusing on Chinese culinary arts opened at Chichester College in the UK in 2017, according to information provided about the project. Portugal established a workshop in 2018, offering training in areas including industrial robotics and electrical automation.
The Ministry of Education said the 38 Luban Workshops now operate across 32 countries, providing academic education and non-degree training in a range of fields.
Additional reporting by CNS, Xinhua.
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