China’s Ministry of Education said on October 12 that the country has built 38 Luban Workshops in 32 countries, calling them a shining calling card for Chinese vocational education abroad. Peng Binbai, director of the ministry’s Department of Vocational and Adult Education, made the remarks at a press conference introducing the 2026 World Conference on Technical and Vocational Education and Training and related international cooperation efforts.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the world’s first Luban Workshop. The ministry will hold a symposium to review a decade of experience and push the program toward higher quality and an upgraded model, with the aim of making this “small but beautiful” brand shine even brighter.
The Luban Workshop is an international vocational education brand guided by the Ministry of Education and originally developed and driven by the city of Tianjin. It seeks to share China’s vocational education achievements with the world and promote the spirit of the “master craftsman.” Named after Lu Ban, an ancient Chinese craftsman, the program combines academic education with vocational training. It exports Chinese vocational standards, equipment and the Engineering Practice Innovation Project (EPIP) teaching model to train young skilled workers needed by countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.
The first workshop opened in Thailand in March 2016, and the program has since expanded across Asia, Africa and Europe. As of September 2025, there were 36 workshops in 29 countries. The workshops offer 60 majors in 14 categories, including smart manufacturing, rail transit, traditional Chinese medicine, artificial intelligence and modern agriculture, matching local industrial needs.
Results so far include nearly 10,000 students in degree programs and more than 31,000 person-times of vocational training. Fourteen internationalized teaching standards have been incorporated into partner countries’ national education systems. The program has also helped bring Chinese equipment abroad and serves as an important bridge for people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries.
Source: China News Service, October 12, 2026
https://www.chinanews.com/gn/2026/10-12/10712055.shtml