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. These 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 reflects the high recognition foreign-invested enterprises have for the city's business environment, mirroring Beijing's inclusiveness and openness. Their presence is anticipated to foster demonstration effects, send positive signals regarding the city's high-level openness in the vocational training sector, and attract more high-quality educational resources to invest and set up schools and other educational institutions in Beijing.

Globally Renowned Enterprises Facilitate Cultivation of High-quality Talent

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

Among them, Deloitte Business Skills Training (Beijing) Co., Ltd. is the first vocational training school set up by Deloitte in the Asia-Pacific region, located in Huairou District. As a global leader in professional services, Deloitte will leverage the advantages brought by its rich global resources to introduce internationally advanced educational training experiences and management service models, aiming to cultivate high-quality talented minds in the financial sector that align 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. It also aims to cultivate high-skilled professionals in intelligent manufacturing fields such as industrial robotics, digital design and manufacturing, and industrial internet, focusing on building a demonstrative and leading Sino-German training system integrating industries and academia in the field of intelligent manufacturing

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

The successful 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 specific requirements and procedures for establishing such institutions, enabling foreign-invested for-profit vocational training institutions to be established in Beijing for the first time.

In addition to Chinese-foreign cooperation in running educational institutions, the Measures now supports foreign investors to enter Beijing's vocational training market in a variety of ways.

The Measures has broadened the forms of foreign investment for establishing educational institutions, reduced the investment entry barriers, and optimized the process of approval services. Through multiple reform initiatives, Beijing has been enhancing its policy support for foreign investment in running educational institutions. 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. In terms of standards, approval levels, processes, supervision and management, foreign-invested vocational skills training institutions in Beijing now operate in line with local private vocational training institutions. 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 established a coordination and linkage mechanism, providing "butler-style" services throughout. On the one hand, during the process for handling the applications of the two enterprises, Beijing continuously optimized 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 notification and 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 full-process policy consultation and guidance, coordinating to resolve difficulties encountered during the application process, and 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 Beijing's "Two Zones" construction and high-quality development.

(Source: Chinanews.com)