SPEAKERS

Learn and be inspired by these leading experts and dynamic speakers from APAC TVET Forum 2021:

Meet Our 2021 Speakers

Hon Chris Hipkins

Minister of Education, Aotearoa New Zealand

Forum opening address

Stephen Town

CEO Te Pūkenga, Aotearoa New Zealand

Topic: RoVE, the journey of Te Pūkenga so far and what to expect next

Srinivas B Reddy

Chief of Skills and Employability, International Labour Organization, Geneva

Forum Day 2 opening address

Professor Christina Hong

PhD – President of THEi (Technological and Higher Education Institute), VTC, Hong Kong

Topic: Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET): Skilling for the Future.

Marc Gomes

Group Senior VP and Head of Training for ADECCO Global, Zurich

Topic: Reinventing the global workforce

Every day the world of work is being reshaped by megatrends, and companies are rethinking how they build and optimise their workforces. While no one can predict what will happen as the ‘new reality’ or post COVID-19 world sets in, organizations need indeed to prepare for that future makeup and build the workforce accordingly, one that will most certainly include forms of automation. In parallel, employees want to work in ways that align with their skills, interests, and personal goals.

Dr. Margarita Pavlova

Director UNESCO – UNEVOC Center, Hong Kong

Topic: Government, industry, and education: a targeted collaboration for climate change mitigation

A focus on policy, planning and curriculum development in vocational education, at both national and international levels, centred around green skills development and greening the vocational education sector.

Dr. Arthur Chin

Banker, Farmer, Educationalist, New Zealand

Topic: My journey of learning in Aotearoa

A focus on the importance of soft skills in a globalised environment, through the lens of Dr. Chin’s personal learning journey, from arriving in New Zealand from Singapore in 1996, to being a student, and on to 26 years as a business owner, senior banker, tertiary administrator, and award-winning tourism operator.

Tania Domett

TradeCareers

Topic: Lessons from New Zealand’s Trade Careers Project: How to “give it a red hot go”!

 Trade Careers has been highly successful in connecting women whose jobs have been impacted by COVID-19 to employment in safe, female-friendly trade workplaces. Launched by the Women in Trades Collective in early 2021, the goal was simple – get more women into the trades – but the execution involved several key phases and the successful collaboration of multiple stakeholders. Angela Meyer (project lead) and Tania Domett (whose agency Cogo provided insights and evaluation research) will go through the evolution of Trade Careers as a potential model for initiatives aimed at increasing women’s participation in male-dominated industries.

Angela Meyer

TradeCareers

Topic: Lessons from New Zealand’s Trade Careers Project: How to “give it a red hot go”!

Trade Careers has been highly successful in connecting women whose jobs have been impacted by COVID-19 to employment in safe, female-friendly trade workplaces. Launched by the Women in Trades Collective in early 2021, the goal was simple – get more women into the trades – but the execution involved several key phases and the successful collaboration of multiple stakeholders. Angela Meyer (project lead) and Tania Domett (whose agency Cogo provided insights and evaluation research) will go through the evolution of Trade Careers as a potential model for initiatives aimed at increasing women’s participation in male-dominated industries.

Stuart Martin

Learning Design Manager at Skills Consulting Group

Topic: Global perspectives on alternative credentialing

Alternative credentialing is a growing area within education around the world. The digital credential market is estimated to grow by 19% over the next four years and the rise of micro-credentials even further. With a look across global markets such as New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, the EU, Canada and the USA use and define credentials, are recommendations for how these credentials can be best utilised and developed and to ensure that there is consistency and comparability across the market.

Faisal Hasan

An Industry Academia Partnership Model for Mitigating the IT Skills Gap

Topic: How a model of work-based learning can play a vital role in ramping up critical IT skills for learners in educational institutes as well as for people in the industry who want to upskill themselves.

Amber Paterson

Learning and Development Specialist and Learner Capability at Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand

Topic: Integrating microcredentials for Learner Capabilities and Sustainable Development Goals into Year 3 Bachelor of Nursing Community Practitioner Project

 

 

Rajesh Khambayat

Joint Director at PSS Central Institute of Vocational Education (PSSCIVE), Bhopal

Topic: Green skills for environmental sustainability through vocational education in India

Implementing green skills in today’s and tomorrow’s economy will help mitigate climate effects and create new job opportunities. To move towards sustainability, the initiative contributes to the identification of skills that the industrial sector is seeking to promote sustainability, how educational systems can develop such skills, and how the digital revolution can help in promoting green skills development.

Raghav Gupta

Managing Director, India and APAC, Coursera

Carl Hansen

Technical Consultant at HP

Topic: Today’s business environment is changing at a rapid pace and disruption has become the norm. Future success will rely on organisations who are able to combine technology, design and innovation in new ways. Thinking differently, embracing change, developing new capability and encouraging a mentality of what is possible rather than what we have always done, will be required for long term success.

Grant Klinkum

Chief Executive at New Zealand Qualifications Authority

Keynote speech 

Dr Nguyen Quang Viet

Department of Vocational Education and Training - MOLISA, Viet Nam

Topic:The government’s strategic orientation to VET and skills development with strategy: 2021 – 2030

As a TVET and skills development specialist, Dr. Nguyen Quang Viet is interested in the digitisation and financing of VET, as well as quality, autonomy, accountability, inclusive and sustainable development, workplace-based training, mutual recognition of skills and qualifications, and the development of both teachers and in-company instructors.

Fan Guanghui

General Manager - Education Department - JD Logistics, China

Topic: Digital leads innovation, technology empowers education

Fan Guanghui is the Head of the Education Department of Jingdong Logistics Group, a vocational education expert, a member of the Employment and Entrepreneurship Guidance Committee of the Ministry of Education, a member of the National Commercial Steering Committee of the Ministry of Education, a distinguished expert of the Skills Competition of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

He has served thousands of enterprises with their digital transformation and hundreds of academic institutions with production and education integration.

Ren Xueliang

General Manager -Haier COSMOPlat, China

Topic: Cultivation of high-quality technical and skilled talents for the industrial Internet and Haier’s practice

REN Xueliang’s extensive experience in TVET includes:

Expert of Sino – Germany AGU Training Expert Group
Drafter of National Vocational Standard for Smart Manufacturing
Vice Chairman of AII Talent Group
Adjunct professor of Harbin Institute of Technology

Manisha Verma

Principal Secretary Skills Development - Employment & Entrepreneurship-Government of Maharashtra, India

Topic: Best practice in TVET

Manisha Verma is a serving Indian Administrative Service officer with 28 years of experience in public policy and management. She has held senior leadership positions across sectors including Finance, Higher Education, Rural Development, Human Resource Development, Culture, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.
As Joint Secretary in National Advisory Council (NAC), Prime Minister’s Office, she facilitated inter-ministerial dialogue and stakeholders’ consultations for framing several national legislations and policies. She has led diverse teams to implement several development projects in partnership with multi-lateral organizations and premier institutions. She has always endeavoured to craft policies and programs which are sustainable, empowering, informed and inclusive.

WorldSkills Panel

Anna Prokopenia

WorldSkills Champions Trust Regional Representative for Europe

Anna Prokopenia, former representative of WorldSkills Champions Trust, currently working as a food engineer. Anna is a WorldSkills Champion in Pâtisserie and Confectionery as she represented Russia in WorldSkills Sao-Paolo 2015.

Nick Johnston

WorldSkills Champions Trust Regional Representative

As a cabinet maker and Worldskills champion, Nick Johnston is a member of the WorldSkills Champions Trust. Nick is enthusiastic about encouraging more young people to learn a trade and to develop new skills through an apprenticeship.

Pearl So

WorldSkills Champions Trust Regional Representative for Hong Kong

Pearl So is a Visual Merchandising WorldSkills Champion and member of the WorldSkills Champions Trust. She represented Hong Kong at WorldSkills São Paulo 2015 and currently works as an exhibition and event designer. Her vision is to help change others lives like how skills changed hers.

Lee Heedong

WorldSkills Champions Trust Regional Representative for Asia

As the WorldSkills Champions Trust regional representative for Asia, Lee Heedong is a CNC milling engineer for Samsung. Lee competed in WorldSkills São Paulo in 2015 and won the Gold medal.

China – New Zealand Higher Vocational Education Summit

Lisa Futschek

General Manager International, Education New Zealand

Welcome

Lisa joined ENZ in 2013 after an 18-year diplomatic career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade which included five years as the Deputy Head of Mission at the New Zealand Embassy in Berlin, and three years as First Secretary and Consul at the New Zealand Embassy in Santiago.
As General Manager International, Lisa leads a global team of 30, based across 17 locations around the world, focussed on profiling New Zealand as an education partner and ensuring international education contributes to New Zealand’s international relations goals.
Lisa has been instrumental in expanding ENZ’s offshore network in Asia and establishing a permanent presence in North America. She brings a strong internationalisation lens to ENZ’s work, emphasizing the critical role of relationships and partnership for mutual benefit.
A graduate of Otago and Auckland universities, Lisa and her husband Regan are based in Wellington with their two teenagers, a son in tertiary studies and a daughter in year 11 at high school.

Xu Yongji

Deputy Director General - Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges - Ministry of Education of China

Welcome

Mr. XU Yongji was appointed as Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education of China in June 2018. Mr. XU joined the Ministry of Education (then called the State Education Commission) in 1985 and started to work in area of educational international cooperation and exchanges in 1990. He has held different positions at the ministry, from Deputy Director, Director, Assistant Director-General to Deputy Director-General, and worked in various areas including administration, policy and planning, cross-border education, European affairs, American and Oceanian affairs. He previously served as Education Counselor at the Chinese Consulate-General in San Francisco and then as Education Counselor at the Chinese Consulate-General in New York. Mr. XU graduated from Beihang University.
2018年6月起担任教育部国际合作与交流司副司长、港澳台事务办公室常务副主任。此前曾在国家 教育委员会(现教育部)办公厅、国际合作司、外事司工作。曾担任教育部国际合作与交流司处 长、司长助理兼处长、副巡视员,驻美国使馆教育处一等秘书,中国驻纽约总领事馆、驻旧金山 总领事馆教育参赞等。毕业于北京航空航天大学

Tony O’Brien

Director SINO-NZ Programme - Wintec

Topic: Opening Address


With tertiary qualifications in Science (Waikato University) and Law (Sydney University), Tony started his career with IBM in Australia in 1986.
He joined New Zealand Trade and Enterprise in 1992 and held various roles including Counsel General and Trade Commissioner in Canada and Regional Director, Europe. He joined one of New Zealand’s largest firms, Fletcher Building, in 2005. In 2008 he became General Manager, Europe – Fletcher Building Roof Tile Group.
After many years working internationally, Tony returned to New Zealand and joined the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) and since 2014 has been the Director of the Sino – New Zealand Vocational Education and Training Model Programme.
Tony was a co-founder of Impact Hub Waikato Ltd. This organisation is focused on fostering and accelerating triple bottom line businesses, especially in the innovation space. Tony retains a strong interest in international relations and trade. He was a Director of the Waikato Chamber of Commerce from 2013 – 19.

Xing Guanglu

Vice President - Qingdao Technical College

Topic: Opening Address XING Guanglu, Doctor of Education, Beijing Normal University, Professor, Senior Accountant, Certified Public Accountant and Certified Tax Agent. Currently, XING is the vice president of Qingdao Technical College. Meanwhile, she is also the deputy director of Sydney Agreement Research Alliance of National Higher Vocational Colleges, the deputy director of Sports Committee of China Vocational and Technical Education Association, the deputy director of Shandong Art Education Guiding Committee, the deputy director of Shandong Commercial Education Guiding Committee, the deputy director of Shandong Ideological and Political Course Alliance, and the part-time researcher of Shandong Institute of Education Science. In recent 5 years, XING has published more than 10 papers in core journals and presided over and participated in more than 10 national, provincial and municipal scientific research projects. She is the author of Research on Teacher Performance Evaluation in Higher Vocational Colleges and chief editor of Fundamentals of Marketing Accounting and other textbooks. She has won many awards in national, provincial and municipal scientific research and teaching achievements.

Leon Fourie

Chair International Working Group - Te Pūkenga

Topic: Opening Address

Dr Leon de W Fourie is the Chief Executive of Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, home to more than 14 000 learners. Born from the merger of Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and Waiariki Institute of Technology, the tertiary institution has five main campuses throughout the Bay of Plenty and South Waikato region, and more than 68 delivery sites.
Leon has extensive experience in industry stakeholder mapping and management, as well as leading the implementation of large scale transformation programmes throughout higher education, both here in New Zealand and overseas.

Originally from South Africa, Leon has built a reputation as a values-based leader and is experienced in successfully working in multi-cultural environments with diverse and competing social, political and economic agendas. His passion for providing higher education opportunities for marginalised communities goes back almost 20 years and, as a consequence, has developed a number of institutional strategies to support Māori and Pasifika learners with an end-to-end focus.

He is an internationally recognised researcher (and PBRF rated) with more

Li Bin

President - Changsha Social Work College

Topic: Opening Address

Li Bin, a professor with a Ph.D., is the president of Changsha Social Work College, and a part time professor and master’s supervisor at Hunan Normal University. Prof. Li also serves as the executive member of the Chinese Society for Technical and Vocational Education (CSTVE) and
a member of CSTVE Expert Committee, Vice Chairman of the Vocational Education Branch of China Association of Higher Education (CAHE), Vice Chairman of the Vocational Education Branch of China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) and Vice Chairman of China Association of Social Welfare and Senior Service.

李斌,长沙民政职业技术学院院长、教授、博士。湖南师范大学兼职教授、硕士生导师,中国职 业教育学会常务理事、专家委员会成员,中国高教学会职业教育分会副理事长,中国教育国际交 流协会职业教育分会副理事长,中国社会福利和养老服务协会副会长

Tania-Winslade

Tania Winslade

DCE Learner Journeys Te Pūkenga

Topic: Meeting Learner Needs

Tania (Ko Ngāti Awa te iwi. Ko Te Patuwai te hapū) joins Te Pūkenga after an executive leadership role at Auckland Council. She has worked around the globe as an international commercial lawyer and in international development. Since returning home, Tania has held senior leadership roles that focus on supporting Māori and all New Zealanders to thrive, including in public law and policy, strategy, economic development, governance, people and organisational performance, and local government.

Debbie Preston

Learner Innovation Manager

Topic: Meeting Learner Needs

Debbie joined Te Pūkenga in July 2020, seconded from Wintec, to co-lead the Ākonga at the Centre project. This mahi has become foundational for Te Pūkenga, with Te Rito: a series of publications enabling the voice of ākonga and their whānau, to be at the centre of network decision making. Prior to the education sector, Debbie worked in international tourism and marketing in both Australia and New Zealand. Debbie now holds a senior leadership role at Te Pūkenga in the Learner Journey & Experience team.

Chen Hairong

Vice President - Jinhua Polytechnic

Topic: Meeting Learner Needs

Professor Dr. Chen Hairong is a member of China Society of Power Supply, China Education Association for International Exchange, a board member of Electrical Engineering Education Committee of China Electrotechnical Society and a standing member of Zhejiang Education Association for International Exchange. He is also an excellent teacher in colleges and universities of Zhejiang Province, an academic leader in higher vocational colleges of Zhejiang Province, a third-tier talent in the “151 Talents Program” of Zhejiang Province and a first-tier talent in the “321 Talents Program” of Jinhua City. He serves as vice president of Jinhua Polytechnic.

陈海荣,教授,工学博士。任中国电源学会理事、中国教育国际交流协会理事、中国电工技术 学会电气工程教育委员会副理事长、浙江省教育国际交流协会常务理事等职。入选浙江省高校 优秀教师、省高职专业带头人、省“151人才工程”第三层次人才、金华市“321人才工程”第一层次 人才等。现任金华职业技术学院副校长

Shelley Wilson

Executive Dean - WINTEC

Topic: Digital and Remote Learning

As the Executive Dean, Shelley oversees all of the Education delivered at The Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec). She has been in the Vocational Education sector for 26 years starting as a Science tutor and progressing into management. Shelley completed a D Pil in Science at Waikato, a Diploma in Adult Learning and Teaching and is currently working towards a Graduate Diploma in Applied Management (Human Resources). Wintec has a focus of learner-centred education that meets the needs of industry and provides engaging project based and inquiry-based learning, which incorporates work-integrated learning.

Li Yunmei

Vice President - Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College

Topic: Digital and Remote Learning

Li Yunmei (1975— ), Ph. D in education Researcher/Professor, vice president of Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College, director of National Innovation Team of Teaching in Photovoltaic Power Generation Technology and Application. She has won a lot prizes and awards, including Chinese National Famous Teacher of Vocational Education in Light Industry,
The First Prize of Chinese National Competition for Information-Based Teaching of Vocational Education, National Huang Yanpei Award for Outstanding Teachers in Vocational Education, and “The Most Beautiful Teachers” of Tianjin Municipality. She has chaired or participated in 3 second prizes of National Teaching Achievement, hosted the construction of National Teaching Resource Library for New Energy. She has hosted over ten projects of ministerial and provincial level or above, published 15 articles, 4 textbooks, and has two patents of invention.

Warwick Quinn

Deputy Chief Executive Employer Journey and Experience - Te Pūkenga

Topic: Meeting Employer Needs

Warwick Quinn is the Deputy Chief Executive Employer Journey and Experience at Te Pūkenga. He is the former Chief Executive of the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation, the Motor Trade Association and Registered Master Builders Association. He has also held the positions of General Manager Regulatory at Land Information New Zealand and the statutory positions of Valuer-General and Chief Crown Property Officer.
Warwick has an MBA from Henley Management College in the UK.

Han Zhen

Vice President - Rizhao Polytechnic

Topic: Meeting Employer Needs

Prof. HAN Zhen, Vice President of Rizhao Polytechnic, majored in Philosophy in Nankai University of China, is responsible for integration of industry and education, scientific research, international exchange and cooperation, social services and training, community education, continuing education and open education.
Presided over and completed a number of provincial and municipal scientific research projects, and edited and published three textbooks for higher vocational colleges. His research paper Exploration and Practice of Humanistic Quality Education Model for Students in Higher Vocational Colleges won the first prize of Shandong Provincial Teaching Achievement Award and the second prize of National Teaching Achievement Award.
韩振,中国南开大学哲学专业,教授,日照职业技术学院副院长,负责产教融合、科研、国际合 作与交流、社会服务与培训、社区教育、继续教育、开放教育等工作。
主持完成多项省市级科研课题,主编出版3本高职院校教材,《高等职业院校学生人文素质教育模 式的探索与实践》获国家教学成果奖二等奖、山东省教学成果奖一等奖。

Kaarin Gaukrodger

Director of Workbased Learning, Te Pūkenga

Topic: Work Based Learning

Kaarin Gaukrodger has been with Connexis for six years, and this year, as Chief Executive, led Connexis through, as an early mover, into Te Pūkenga and the new vocational education system set-up by the Reform of Vocational Education. Connexis undertakes industry training for the Infrastructure industry of Civil, Energy, Telco and 3Waters. Kaarin has championed the Ulimit: Women in Infrastructure brand, which is focussed on increasing the number of women in trade and technical roles within the infrastructure industry, and is the parent of the Girls with Hi-Vis® initiative. Kaarin holds an MBA with distinction and Bachelor of Management Studies with honours from the University of Waikato.

Zheng Yi

Vice President, Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College

Topic: Work Based Learning

Zheng Yi, Female, Professor, Doctor, CPC member, born on March 11, 1976 in Jiangyan Jiangsu Province, is the vice president of Jiangsu Agri-animal Husbandry Vocational College in charge of international cooperation and exchange affairs.
She has published nearly 30 papers on professional research and education and teaching reform in core journals, won the 1st prize of Jiangsu Higher Education Teaching Achievement Award, the 2nd prize of Jiangsu Agricultural Technology Promotion Award, the 1st prize of Taizhou Science and Technology Progress award, and the 2nd prize of Taizhou Science and Technology Progress Award.
She has been honored as the Pace-setter in the New Long March in Jiangsu Province, the Advanced Individual of Ideological and Political Work in Jiangsu Province, the Backbone Teacher of “Qinglan Project” in Universities and Colleges in Jiangsu Province, and the Young & Middle-aged Academic Leader of “Qinglan Project” in Universities and Colleges in Jiangsu Province.
郑义,女,教授、博士,中共党员。1976年3月生,江苏姜堰人,现任江苏农牧科技职业学院副校 长, 分管国际合作与交流事务。在核心期刊发表专业研究及教育教学改革论文近30篇,获江苏省高 等教育教学成果奖一等奖、江苏省农业技术推广奖二等奖、泰州市科技进步一等奖、泰州市科技 进步二

Belinda Jackson

Group Marketing Manager - Lawson’s Dry Hills Wines – New Zealand

Topic: Work Based Learning

Belinda’s life-long passion for wine began in Bordeaux in the mid-eighties, before returning to the UK and undertaking sales and marketing roles. Prior to coming to NZ in ’95 she was the Wine Category Manager for one of the big brewers, where she was responsible for sourcing and marketing some 750,000 cases of wine from all over the world to more than 15,000 on premise outlets. In NZ, Belinda worked sourcing wine, managing brands and developing marketing strategies within liquor retail. She then set up as an independent consultant, working across many aspects of the NZ wine industry, including establishing two of NZ’s leading wine competitions. She has three books published and has been a regular wine commentator on Radio NZ. Belinda joined Lawson’s Dry Hills in May 2014.

Marcus Wright

Senior Winemaker - Lawson’s Dry Hills Wines – New Zealand

Topic: Work Based Learning

Marcus’s love of good wine came from friends passionate about NZ’s Wine Options competition. He joined them for various tastings and then competed as part of the team. In 1997 he worked with Montana as a cellar hand during vintage and then as their Cellarmaster. He then headed to South America to work the 2000 vintage in Chile for Vina San Pedro, in the Central Valley. Next was the Loire Valley, France for vintage with the highly-respected Jacques Lurton, making white wines including Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc. An advocoate of life-long learning and developing teams, Marcus started with Lawson’s Dry Hills in 2001 and continues to enjoy producing a number of wine styles from the company’s vineyards.