Forth Valley College was delighted to host a second high profile visit in as many months from a delegation of distinguished senior Chinese government officials, education professionals and leaders on Tuesday 11 November.
This delegation was led by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China, who were visiting the UK as part of a trip organised by the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) under their SAFEA Framework.
The 21 strong group was comprised of representatives from more than 10 Chinese provinces and municipalities, representing universities, vocational colleges and government agencies, all committed to advancing vocational education and skills development.
On Thursday 25 September FVC had already hosted a distinguished delegation of senior education officials and leaders from Henan Province, China, who visited FVC as part of their wider engagement with the UK’s education and skills sector.
During the most recent visit, the delegation were welcomed by Principal Kenny MacInnes in the Steeple Suite where he exchanged gifts with Wang Yi, Deputy Director, Overseas Training Administration Division, Department of Foreign Expert Services.
Helen Leslie, FVC’s Director of Curriculum for the Department of Care, Sport, Business and Communities, delivered a presentation to the guests and gave an overview of the College, before leading the group on a tour of the Falkirk Campus facilities.
The visit builds on FVC’s growing relationship with Chinese education partners in 2025. Earlier this year, FVC signed an MOU with Zhongyuan University of Technology and visited Henan province in June, where members of the College’s team travelled to strengthen links with vocational and higher education institutions across the Henan province, as well as provide a guest lecture in engineering. These reciprocal visits underline the commitment on both sides to fostering meaningful partnerships in technical and vocational education.
Furthermore, the Chinese Consul General in Edinburgh visited his first Scottish college when touring FVC in March this year.
Kenny MacInnes, FVC Principal, said: “I was once again delighted to welcome and meet so many distinguished government and education professionals from China recently and briefly discuss the exciting opportunities which could develop between us in the weeks and months to come. There certainly are strong joint project areas that we could work together on and I am excited about exploring these further.”
Jamie Allan, FVC Global Partnership Manager, said: “It was fantastic to welcome a second high level delegation from China in as many months, and is testament to our ongoing recognition as one of the top international colleges in Scotland to visit to learn about our sector leading educational excellence and world class facilities.
“Although I was disappointed not to be there on the day, Helen Leslie was an excellent host and looked after them fantastically well and I want to thank her for supporting this key visit. Our ongoing engagement with China is a key part of our global strategy and the relationships that are being built align with both the Scottish and UK Governments’ international education strategies. With recent Scottish Education Exchange Programme funding awarded, allowing a staff mobility visit to our partner institutions in China in 2026, we look forward to strengthening the bonds between our nations and institutions.”
The delegation included senior representatives from institutions such as the Shougang Technician College, Beijing Industrial Technician College, Senior Technical School of the Shunyi District Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Beijing, Zhejiang Electromechanical Technician College, Hangzhou Technician College, Shandong Technician College, Qingdao Technician College, Henan Technician College, Henan Transportation Technician College, Guangdong Mechanical Technician College, Guangzhou Electromechanical Technician College, Shenzhen Pengcheng Technician College, Sichuan Mineral and Electromechanic Technician College, Guizhou Provincial Center for Vocational Skill Appraisal and Evaluation Guidance and Yunnan Advanced Technical School of Electronic Information.
Forth Valley College continues to strengthen its international reputation as a trusted partner in skills, training and innovation, sharing Scotland’s expertise in vocational education with global partners.
