Presentations

BILT Matchmaking Sessions offer an opportunity to build up and strengthen international partnerships among TVET institutions from Asia-Pacific, Africa and Europe. The objective of Matchmaking Sessions is to illustrate examples of institutional efforts that have helped to translate the TVET qualification and competency development from policy to practice. Participants join a session of their choice to share first-hand experiences, engage in peer learning and meet potential partners for future partnerships and collaborations.

Matchmaking Sessions I

• Ensuring relevance: Temasek Polytechnic’s collaborative approach in preparing students for the hospitality and tourism industry, Mr Benjamin Cassim, Senior Lecturer, Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore
• Digital entrepreneurship training for women in tourism: How to make it really work, Ms Catheryn Khoo, Professor of Hospitality and Tourism, Torrens University, Australia
• Center of vocational manpower networking management’, Mr Nirutt Butrsaenlee, Director of Bureau of Vocational Education Research and Development, Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC), Thailand

• Duy Tan’s approach to training for hospitality and tourism, Ms Hang Le, Vice Provost, Duy Tan University (DTU), Viet Nam
• TVET for hospitality and tourism in Vanuatu, Mr Jonathan Tarip, Vanuatu Institute of Technology, Vanuatu
• Skills for a Resilient Workforce Program, Mr Mohamed Hashim, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Maldives Polytechnic, Maldives

This session brings together policymakers from Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Europe. They examine and compare global, regional and local TVET strategies and policies supporting the digital and green transformation. A keynote speech by the president of the German Federal Institute of Vocational Education and Training sets the scene for the ensuing panel discussion with participants from the ASEAN TVET Council, the African Union, and the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research.

Moderator: Mr Michael Wiechert, Deputy Head of Department 'VET International', Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), Germany

• Keynote: Mr Friedrich Hubert Esser, President, Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), Germany

• Ms Karen Chong, Coordinating Divisional Director of Higher Education Group, Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore (holding the Chair of the ASEAN TVET Council)
• Mr Nicholas Ouma, Senior Youth Advisor, on behalf of Mr Hambani Masheleni, Acting Director, Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, African Union Commission
• Ms Catrin Hannken, BMBF, Germany

The objective of these sessions is to share and discuss how critical core skills can be identified across current and newly emerging disciplines, within the hospitality and tourism industry, and how they can be integrated into general TVET frameworks.

Parallel session I (streamed online): Public and private sector: Jointly addressing labour and skills shortages

• Mr El Cid H. Castillo, Acting Executive Director, Qualifications and Standards Office, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Philippines
• Mr Dato J. Palaniappan, Chairman, ASEAN Future Workforce Council Secretariat
• Mr Christopher Wan, Dean, Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management, UCSI University Sarawak Campus, Malaysia

• Mr Dong-Man Na, Senior Research Fellow, Employment, Skills Development, and Qualifications Research Division, Korean Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET), Republic of Korea
• Mr Nguyen Van Cuong, Officer, Department of Continuing Training, General Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (GDVET), Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), Viet Nam

The intent of this session is to explore which core skills and competencies increase employability from an industry perspective. The panel discussion outlines the role industrial players have in the training of TVET students.

Moderator: Mr Benjamin Cassim, Temasek Polytechnic

• Mr Stewart Fu, Director of Learning & Development, The Ritz Carlton, Millenia Singapore
• Mr Rino Vitelli, Head of EU Projects and Partnerships, Federturismo Confindustria, Italy

This keynote address offers a discussion on Singapore’s approach to developing a future-oriented TVET framework based on the critical core skills that can be applied to not just the current business landscape, but also aid in future-proofing the existing workforce as well as those entering the workforce.

Moderator: Mr Benjamin Cassim, Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore

• Ms Tai Jo Fang, Assistant Director of Jobs-Skills Insights Division, SkillsFuture Singapore

The objective of these sessions is to present practical approaches to incorporating new industry requirements for digital and green skills and competencies into TVET training and learning. Participants join a session of their choice and have opportunities to discuss and share approaches and promising practices.

Moderator: Ms Franziska Wettstein, Expert, Development of Occupations and Mr Erik Swars, Head of International Affairs, Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training (SFUVET), Switzerland

• Preliminary results of the BILT Expert Group on the dual transition in hospitality and tourism
  

Moderator: Mr Enrique Blanco, Projects and Communications Manager, École d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule (EHT), Cambodia (Expert Group Co-Lead)

• Mr John Hart, Chairman, Tourism Training Australia: “Digital Micro-credentials for Tourism and Hospitality”, Australia
• Ms Christine Gimonge, Programmes Coordinator at Westerwelle Startup Haus Arusha: “DigiTrade: Digital Skills Accelarator”, Tanzania
• Mr Johan Marais, Chief Marketing Officer at CiMSO Group: “Preparation and Readiness for Digitization in Tourism and Hospitality Industry”, South Africa

• Mr Francois Schnoebelen, Director of École d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule (EHT): “The EcoCampus, flagship project for TVET institutions”, Cambodia
• Mr Geoffrey Lipman, President of SunX Malta – Strong Universal Network: “Diploma in Climate Friendly Travel (YouTube)”, Malta
• Ms Nicole Agnew, Innovation Project Manager & Coach at The Lab Hotel: “Sustainable innovation for future entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry”, Switzerland

This session places BILT in the context of international TVET strategies and policies such as the UNESCO Strategy for TVET (2022-2029). The goal is to explore ways for the BILT community to actively participate and contribute to project activities and to jointly discuss future milestones for the BILT project. Slides

Moderator: Mr Friedrich Huebler, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC

• Mr Nicholas Ouma, Senior Youth Advisor, African Union Commission
• Mr Michael Schwarz, BIBB, Germany

Moderator: Ms Ken Barrientos, Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific, UNESCO-UNEVOC

• Overview of the UNEVOC Network; update from UNEVOC Centres on current initiatives and future plans; opportunities for engagement.