Wales-Chongqing Consortium
In 2011 eleven of Wales' further education colleges formed a Wales-Chongqing consortium under the banner of CollegesWales (UK) International, which is managed by ColegauCymru / CollegesWales.
The further education institutions involved in the consortium are:
- Bridgend College
- Cardiff and Vale College
- Coleg Gwent
- Coleg Harlech WEA (N) and WEA (S)
- Coleg Llandrillo Cymru
- Coleg Morgannwg
- Coleg Powys
- Deeside College
- Gower College Swansea
- Yale College Wrexham
- Ystrad Mynach College
The Consortium employs a Further Education Project Officer, Grace Tan, based at the Welsh Government’s offices in Chongqing. She is supported by an advisory group comprising local colleges, local business, the British Council and the Welsh Government. The Consortiun was officially launched by the First Minister the Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM on Tuesday 25 October 2011 in Chongqing.
Purpose of the Consortium
Chongqing’s ambitions bring particular challenges. It is expanding on a scale unimaginable in Wales. It needs to integrate and train around 8 million migrant workers moving from the country to newly created jobs.
Hence it is keen to develop partnerships with Wales’ further education colleges to benefit from their solid track record in developing relevant vocational skills and their expertise in working with industry.
This development provides a tremendous opportunity for Wales, its colleges and its learners, to learn from Chongqing and to expand Welsh students’ views of their place in the world economy.
Key priorities Consortium include:
- Cultural exchanges between students in Wales and China
- International study options
- Work with counterparts in colleges in Chongqing to strengthen quality assurance systems and develop curriculum specialisms
- Explore the potential for in-company corporate training and the up-skilling of migrant workers and technicians in rapidly-developing Chongqing