May 10, 2023

Two foreign-invested vocational training institutions, Deloitte Business Skills Training (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and Beijing Sino-German Rhein Vocational Skills Training School, have been established in Beijing successively with approval from the city's Human Resources and Social Security Bureau. The two enterprises, the first of their kind in Beijing, mark important breakthroughs in opening the education service sector wider for the development of the Two Zones (the Integrated National Demonstration Zone for Opening up the Services Sector and the China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone).

The decision of these two enterprises to invest in Beijing's education sector showcases the high recognition foreign-invested enterprises have for the city's business environment, and reflects Beijing's inclusiveness and openness. Their presence is anticipated to have demonstration effects and send positive signals regarding the city's high-level opening up in the vocational training sector, thus attracting more high-quality educational investors to set up schools and other educational institutions in Beijing.

Globally Renowned Enterprises Facilitate Cultivation of High-quality Talent

The first two foreign-invested vocational training institutions in Beijing have commenced operations in Huairou and Shunyi districts.

Among them, Deloitte Business Skills Training (Beijing) Co., Ltd., located in Huairou District, is the first vocational training school set up by Deloitte in the Asia-Pacific region. As a global leader in professional services, Deloitte will leverage its rich global resources to introduce internationally advanced educational training experience and management service models. The aim is to cultivate high-quality financial professionals in line with global standards, thus contributing to the development of the Two Zones.

Beijing Sino-German Rhine Vocational Skills Training School is located in Beijing China-Germany Industrial Park in Shunyi District. The institution will introduce German expertise in the R&D, design, and production of intelligent manufacturing systems, cultivating high-skilled talents in industrial robotics, digital design and manufacturing, and industrial internet. It focuses on building a demonstrative and leading China-German training system integrating industries and education in the field of intelligent manufacturing.

Opening-up Policy in Vocational Training Sector Advances Development of Two Zones

The establishment of the two foreign-invested vocational training institutions is attributed to Beijing's opening-up policy in the vocational training sector, which was introduced as part of its Two Zones development initiative. In August 2022, the Measures for the Management of Foreign-funded For-profit Vocational Training Institutions in Beijing Municipality (hereinafter referred to as the Measures) was issued, clarifying the requirements and procedures for establishing such institutions, enabling foreign-invested for-profit vocational training institutions to be established in Beijing for the first time.

Building on the existing model of Chinese-foreign cooperation in running educational institutions, the Measures supports foreign investors with their entry into Beijing's vocational training market through various approaches.

The Measures has diversified the ways foreign investors can invest in educational institutions, lowered the threshold for the investment entry, optimized the approval process, and as a result provided stronger policy support. For example, the Measures allows for a broader range of school-running entities in addition to educational institutions, and has eliminated the restrictions on the ratio of board members from China and foreign countries and regions. Foreign-invested vocational skills training institutions get the same treatment as their local counterparts in Beijing when it comes to the standards, approval levels, approval processes, and supervision and management, according to the measures. Since the implementation of the policy, Beijing has received inquiries from several well-known foreign enterprises, which have expressed strong interest in establishing educational institutions.

“Butler-style” Services Promote Continuous Optimization of Business Environment in Beijing

In response to enterprises' inquiries on establishing educational institutions, the human resources and social security authorities at municipal and district levels have established a coordination and linkage mechanism, providing whole-process "butler-style" services. On the one hand, during the process for handling the applications of Deloitte and Rhein-Koster, Beijing continued to optimize its approval services based on the reform of "separation of licenses and operating permits". For the establishment of for-profit foreign-invested vocational training institutions, the city adopted the approval method combining requirement notification and compliance commitment, shortening the approval period from the statutory 90 days to immediate processing. The two enterprises received operation permits for running schools on the same day they submitted their application materials. The change greatly facilitated their business activities. On the other hand, the human resources and social security authorities have also provided enterprises with whole-process policy consultation and guidance and coordinated solutions to difficulties encountered during the application process. In the future, they will continue to offer "butler-style" services for enterprises in running schools.

According to Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Beijing will continue to promote high-standard opening up in the vocational training sector. The human resources and social security authorities citywide will also enhance support for foreign-invested enterprises, attracting more high-quality overseas educational and training institutions to invest in and run schools in Beijing. This move aims to build a more diversified, specialized, and international vocational training system, cultivate a skilled talent pool with international competitiveness for the capital, and provide strong talent support for the construction and high-quality development of the Two Zones.

(Source: Chinanews.com)