Five university instructors from Uzbekistan specializing in new energy and artificial intelligence completed an intensive one-week training program this month in Tianjin city in North China.

An international cooperation brand of Tianjin's vocational education sector, the Luban Workshop has established a total of 38 workshops in 32 countries across Asia, Africa and Europe, including 17 in Africa. 

Closely aligned with the industrial needs of member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, these workshops offer 25 specialties  — covering such fields as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and new energy. Equipped with comprehensive training facilities, they've helped more than 17,000 young people acquire vocational skills.

Unlike traditional teaching methods, the EPIP (Engineering Practice Innovation Project) model combines engineering, practical applications, innovation and project-based learning. Built around real-world projects, it focuses on developing students' technical expertise and problem-solving abilities.

"This is the core model developed by Tianjin's vocational education system. Through intensive cycles of learning and hands-on practice, we were able to quickly turn knowledge into practical skills," said Kurbanov Abdurakhmon Alishboevich, a computer science instructor.

Supported by several Chinese enterprises, the program covered cutting-edge topics including photovoltaic power station construction and AI-driven creative applications. Using simulation technology, project-based learning and advanced equipment for wind, solar, and electrical energy systems, Chinese instructors transformed abstract concepts into practical experience — helping participants to apply theory to complex real-world challenges.

The program also included company visits and cultural exchange activities under a school-enterprise partnership model. The Uzbek instructors highly praised the quality and practical value of the training.

On returning home, the five participants will develop new teaching plans based on the training content. Cooperation is expected to deepen further — covering disciplines ranging from new energy and computer science to future artificial intelligence courses.

In late June, Li Yunmei, Party secretary of Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College, will lead a delegation consisting of representatives from enterprises in Tianjin, Liaoning and other regions to visit Uzbekistan.

The delegation will conduct exchanges and industrial research activities on the ground — further strengthening bilateral cooperation in vocational and technical education, as well as industrial talent development between the two countries.