“China Craftsman Valley · China–Russia Education Year” Event Concludes Successfully

In 2026, China and Russia commemorate the 30th anniversary of their strategic cooperative partnership and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation. It is also the inaugural year of the 2026–2027 “China–Russia Years of Education,” jointly announced by President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin. Against this significant backdrop, “China Craftsman Valley,” the vocational education brand under China POCY Group, has actively embraced the theme of “One Skill in Hand, A Lifetime Without Worries,” using vocational education as a bridge to foster extensive youth exchanges and mutual learning between China and Russia.

In early summer, along the coast of the Bohai Sea, all things flourished in vitality. From May 12 to 13, the “China Craftsman Valley · China–Russia Education Year” event was successfully held at the institutions of China Craftsman Valley. Vice Rector Anna Nikolaevna Selyuk of the Krasnodar State Institute of Culture, Assistant to the Rector Sergey Sergeyevich Zengin, together with a delegation of 39 faculty members and students from Russia, joined Ding Guosheng, Vice President of China POCY Group and Dean of POCY International Academy; Liu Caiqin, President of Caofeidian College of Technology; Yan Changbao, Vice President; Li Jiasheng, President of Tangshan Maritime Institute; Li Qian and Zhang Shukun, Assistants to the President; Zhang Ning, President of Tangshan Experimental Secondary Vocational School and Tangshan Craftsman Valley Technical School; along with faculty and student representatives from China Craftsman Valley institutions, to embark on a remarkable educational exchange journey transcending language and culture.

Warm Welcome: Words of Unity, Friendship Sets Sail

At 2:30 p.m. on May 12, the event center of China Craftsman Valley Caofeidian College of Technology was brightly illuminated, filled with a solemn yet enthusiastic atmosphere. Amid warm applause, Ding Guosheng, Vice President of China POCY Group and Dean of POCY International Academy, extended the sincerest greetings and warmest welcome to the leaders, teachers, and students from the Krasnodar State Institute of Culture.

Ding Guosheng noted that China is currently celebrating National Vocational Education Week, whose theme this year — “One Skill in Hand, A Lifetime Without Worries” — resonates strongly with the launch of the China–Russia Years of Education. He emphasized that youth represent the future of both nations and the hope of China–Russia friendship. Under the theme “Youth as a Bridge, China and Russia Advancing Together,” vocational education is expected to serve as a platform where skills become a bridge for mutual learning and shared growth among young people of both countries, allowing youth to shine through communication and cooperation.

Joint Plaque Unveiling: A New Chapter of Cooperation

One of the most anticipated moments of the event was the unveiling ceremony for the friendly cooperative partnership between the institutions. As the countdown reached zero, leaders from both China and Russia jointly unveiled the plaque, symbolizing that educational cooperation between the two sides had moved from vision to reality and from temporary exchanges to institutionalized collaboration.

Taking this event as a new starting point, both sides will broaden educational perspectives through complementary strengths, enhance educational quality through resource sharing, and solidify the foundation for joint talent cultivation. This initiative aims to provide a replicable and innovative model for people-to-people exchanges in vocational education between China and Russia, while cultivating highly skilled professionals equipped with both international vision and technical expertise.

Youth Dialogue: Connecting Through Skills and Shared Aspirations

During the “China Craftsman Valley · China–Russia Youth Roundtable Dialogue,” six young representatives from China and Russia engaged in open discussions on professional development, the spirit of craftsmanship, and the dissemination of skills and culture. Sharing their personal experiences candidly, the participants transcended national and linguistic boundaries, demonstrating the responsibility, sincerity, and cultural warmth of today’s youth.

The dialogue highlighted that skills provide young people with confidence and opportunity, art serves as a universal language connecting hearts, and youth themselves are vivid ambassadors of mutual learning among civilizations.

A heartwarming “Youth Shared Reading” book-gifting and souvenir exchange session also took place. The Chinese side presented Russian students with 100 Daily Chinese–Russian Expressions along with gifts featuring traditional Chinese culture and institutional characteristics. In return, the Russian delegation offered souvenirs rich in Russian cultural charm. Every gift carried the goodwill of young people from both countries and became a meaningful symbol of cultural integration and friendship.

Mutual Learning Through Skills: Immersive Experiences and Joint Talent Development

On the same day, accompanied by Chinese representatives, Vice Rector Anna Selyuk and Assistant to the Rector Sergey visited multiple training centers specializing in culinary arts, housekeeping services, healthcare and nursing, aerospace studies, and the Caofeidian training base of the Beijing Arts and Crafts Technician College. Through immersive experiences, they gained firsthand insight into the strengths and distinctive characteristics of Chinese vocational education.

Russian teachers and students also participated in practical courses such as creative accessory design and Chinese culinary arts, experiencing the charm of traditional Chinese culture and vocational skills through hands-on learning.

In addition, representatives from Chinese and Russian institutions held discussions on topics including artificial intelligence program development and nursing talent cultivation. Consensus was reached on future cooperation directions such as faculty and student exchanges, mutual faculty appointments, and the sharing of practical teaching resources. Both sides plan to focus on cutting-edge technologies and disciplines addressing essential social needs, jointly cultivating highly skilled professionals with international perspectives.

Artistic Gala: Voices and Performances Celebrating Friendship

On the evening of May 13, the “China–Russia University Student Art Gala” was warmly presented. Chinese and Russian students shared the stage, using art as a medium to express emotions and friendship through performances that transcended language barriers, bringing the two-day exchange program to a memorable and meaningful conclusion.

Throughout the gala, there were no barriers of language — only the resonance of art; no sense of distance — only deepening friendship. Every performance vividly illustrated cultural integration, and every round of applause reflected genuine emotional connection. The event fully showcased the youthful spirit of Chinese and Russian students and the unique cultural charm of both nations, injecting vibrant youthful energy into educational cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia.

There is a force that transcends mountains and seas, binding China–Russia friendship ever closer; there is a beauty that transcends language, shining brilliantly through dialogue among civilizations. From first acquaintance to mutual understanding, from exchange to integration, every moment bore witness to the spirit of “Youth as a Bridge, China and Russia Advancing Together.”

The focused eyes in training workshops, sincere sharing during roundtable discussions, warm smiles during book exchanges, and graceful dances at the gala have all become treasured memories in the hearts of young people from both countries, forming the most vivid testimony to China–Russia educational cooperation.

The launch event of the “China Craftsman Valley · China–Russia Education Year” not only established a solid institutional foundation for collaboration between Chinese and Russian educational institutions and expanded international pathways for the development of young skilled talents, but also demonstrated the responsibility and commitment of vocational education in serving the China–Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era and promoting people-to-people connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Moving forward, China Craftsman Valley institutions will continue to plan cooperation with greater vision, advance projects with more practical measures, and nurture the flower of friendship with deeper sincerity — making educational cooperation a bridge connecting the hearts of the people, skill exchanges a window for mutual learning among civilizations, and youth friendship the cornerstone of everlasting friendship between generations.

We firmly believe that when young people from both countries connect through skills and communicate heart-to-heart, China–Russia vocational education exchanges and cooperation will yield even more fruitful achievements through mutual learning and shared progress.