Habibur Rahman (bappy), Reporter || Bangladesh and China have agreed to deepen cooperation in technical and vocational education, including setting up model technical colleges, introducing Chinese language courses and modernising existing institutions.The agreement was reached at a high-level bilateral meeting between the education ministries of the two countries on Thursday night in Tianjin, China, on the sidelines of the 2026 World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference.Bangladesh’s Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Ehsanul Haque Milon led the Bangladeshi delegation, while Chinese Vice Minister of Education Ren Youqun led the Chinese side.Yu Yunfeng, director general of China’s Center for Language Education and Cooperation; Liu Yong, deputy director general of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges; and Chi Yanwei, deputy director general of the Department of Vocational and Adult Education, were also present.At the meeting, Milon stressed the need to strengthen Bangladesh’s technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system and create sustainable employment opportunities for technical students.He sought cooperation from Chinese educational institutions to establish Chinese-standard diploma vocational institutes across Bangladesh to bring the country’s technical education system up to international standards.The minister also proposed setting up smart classrooms in Bangladeshi technical institutions with Chinese government assistance, introducing “Chinese Language + Technical Skills Development” courses in all technical colleges and establishing Chinese language centres at universities nationwide.Ren Youqun expressed full support for the proposals and assured China’s comprehensive cooperation in Bangladesh’s overall education development.He reiterated China’s commitment to supporting TVET reforms, installing smart classrooms, modernising technical institutions and expanding Chinese language education across the country.Nine areas of cooperationThe two delegations reached an understanding on nine key areas to strengthen bilateral cooperation in education.These include forming a joint Bangladesh-China TVET team covering technical education, curriculum development, teacher training and national skills certification.The two countries also agreed to establish model demonstration TVET colleges in Bangladesh with Chinese technical assistance, modern laboratory facilities and industry partnerships.Another area of cooperation involves systematic assessments and comprehensive improvements of existing technical colleges under the supervision of Chinese experts.The delegations agreed to strengthen industry-education collaboration through partnerships between Chinese industrial enterprises and Bangladeshi technical institutions.They also proposed nationwide “Chinese Language + Technical Skills” training programmes in engineering, manufacturing, construction, healthcare and services.The cooperation framework includes developing a comprehensive pathway for students, combining vocational training, formal certification, industrial internships and sustainable employment opportunities.Other areas include annual teacher exchange and capacity-building programmes for Bangladeshi technical teachers and education administrators, as well as expanded joint research, academic exchanges and higher education cooperation between universities in the two countries.The final area focuses on establishing a formal monitoring and evaluation mechanism to assess graduates’ employment outcomes, project implementation progress and the overall impact of bilateral cooperation.The initiatives are aimed at improving the quality of technical education, strengthening links between education and industry, and expanding employment opportunities for graduates in Bangladesh.