Charting the "AI + Vocational Education" Frontier to Empower a New Era of Global Industry-Education Synergy | China POCY Group Invited to the International Future Higher Education Summit

On June 6, 2026, the International Future Higher Education Summit: AI-Driven Industry-Education Collaborative Talent Development — A New Ecosystem, jointly organized by the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia, the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE), Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), and the UNESCO International Centre for Higher Education Innovation (UNESCO-ICHEI), opened at the SUSTech Convention Center in Shenzhen. As a prominent Chinese representative deeply engaged in international industry-education integration, Mr. Yao Yichun, Chairman of the Integration of Industry and Education Committee of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations and Chairman and President of China POCY Group, along with Ms. Ma Jia, General Manager of the Education Business Division of China POCY Group, were invited to attend this distinguished gathering.

1. Leading the Digital-Intelligent Transformation: A New Chapter in Global Higher Education Collaboration

As generative AI and large-model technologies migrate from industrial laboratories to educational settings, the global education system is undergoing an unprecedented paradigm shift. This summit, closely aligned with the core theme of "AI Reshaping Global Higher Education Systems," featured four thematic forums, the release of major reports, the inauguration of regional centers, forward-looking roundtable dialogues, and industry project signing ceremonies. The event brought together officials from education authorities across 20 countries and regions, presidents from 21 universities, leaders of international organizations, and representatives from leading industry institutions, creating a premier global platform for cross-sector dialogue, resource sharing, and collaborative innovation in higher education — charting a path forward in the digital age.

At the opening ceremony, distinguished speakers including Ms. Shafika Isaacs, Acting Director of UNESCO IITE and Chief of the Section of Educational Technology and AI for Future Learning and Innovation at UNESCO; Ms. Jiang Hong, Party Secretary of SUSTech; Mr. Qin Changwei, Secretary-General of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO; Mr. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia; and Mr. Jin Li, Director of UNESCO-ICHEI and Vice President of SUSTech, delivered keynote addresses. They jointly called on the global education community to build a more inclusive and sustainable international cooperation network, harnessing technology to advance equitable educational development and shared global prosperity.

The summit unveiled major research outcomes including From Digitalization to AI Empowerment: The Future of Higher Education in the Global South, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence in Education, and the IIOE Development Report (2019–2026). The inauguration ceremonies for the IIOE Arab Regional Centre and the IIOE Southeast Asian Regional Centre were held, and micro-credential training programs in "AI + Cross-Border E-Commerce," "AI + Life Sciences," and "AI + Agricultural Technology" were officially launched. These milestones mark the transition of AI-driven higher education innovation from theoretical exploration to large-scale implementation and ecosystem-level operation.

2. Deepening Industry-Education Practice: Exploring New Paradigms of AI-Empowered Vocational Education

The rapid advancement of AI is reshaping global industrial structures and labor markets, compelling a fundamental evolution in talent cultivation systems. As the educational sector most closely tied to industry, vocational education is at the forefront of this transformation.

At the summit forum on "Technology-Driven Skills Enhancement and Capability Reshaping," Mr. Yao Yichun, drawing on China POCY Group’s over two decades of industry-education integration experience, shared in-depth insights into China’s innovative practices and proven pathways for embracing AI-driven change in vocational education. He emphasized that in the face of comprehensive and disruptive educational transformation, China POCY Group has taken the lead in pioneering "AI + Vocational Education" integration. Building on the traditional "Five Educations" framework (moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education), the Group has developed an innovative "Six Educations" integrated talent development model — encompassing character development, habit formation, labor skills, artistic and athletic cultivation, practical application, and global perspective. This multi-dimensional educational restructuring aims to move beyond single-skill training, fostering talent with complex problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, and human-machine collaboration competencies for the new era.

On the domestic front, the Group has strategically positioned itself to address the core demands of global industrial digitalization and intelligent transformation by establishing cutting-edge programs in AI applications, industrial robotics, and drone technology. Curricula are optimized to align with AI industry competency requirements, training facilities are upgraded to reflect real-world scenarios, and talent development models are continuously innovated to produce highly skilled technical talent tailored to the digital intelligence economy. On the international front, leveraging the global resource network of the "China Craftsman Valley International Industry-Education Alliance," the Group is systematically exporting China‘s proven industry-education integration models and vocational education expertise — transitioning from "local innovation" to "global empowerment," offering replicable, implementable, and scalable Chinese solutions for the digital transformation of vocational education worldwide.

3. Empowering Global Symbiosis: Crafting a New Chapter in China‘s Vocational Education "Going Global"

The proliferation of AI technology has dissolved the boundaries between industry and education, redefining the value proposition and development landscape of global vocational education. Vocational education is no longer a regional educational endeavor but a vital link supporting global industrial upgrading, talent mobility, and economic symbiosis. From domestic institutional operations to international expansion, from precise industry empowerment to the export of Chinese vocational education expertise, China POCY Group‘s innovative practices are deeply aligned with the core trends of digital transformation in global higher education.

In a post-summit interview, Mr. Yao Yichun stated: "This International Future Higher Education Summit has established a premier platform for high-level dialogue and multilateral collaboration in global digital education. AI has dismantled geographical and sectoral barriers, fundamentally rewriting the rules of global talent development and industrial competition. Looking ahead, China POCY Group will continue to build on our over two decades of industry-education integration experience, deepening the innovative integration of 'AI + Vocational Education.' With AI as the engine, institutional operations as the foundation, and international cooperation as the vehicle, we will actively participate in UNESCO‘s global education ecosystem development, build a new talent development framework aligned with the needs of new quality productive forces, and transform China’s industry-education integration practices into globally accessible outcomes. We remain committed to sharing China‘s vocational education story and solutions with the world, contributing to the digital transformation and high-quality development of global education."