JATIM PR – The East Java Provincial Government through the Education Office is taking strategic steps to strengthen the competitiveness of human resources by establishing a partnership with the HGI Research Center in Shanghai, China. The collaboration, marked by the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI), is aimed at accelerating the integration of vocational education with the needs of the digital industry and the development of artificial intelligence (AI).
The signing of the LoI took place during a series of official visits by a delegation from the East Java Provincial Education Office to Shanghai on 8–12 June 2026 led by the Head of the East Java Education Office, Dr. Aries Agung Paewai, S.STP., MM Through this agreement, both parties are committed to building sustainable communication and exploring concrete programs, ranging from digital talent development, school-industry partnerships, to international exchange and collaboration programs.
Head of the East Java Provincial Education Service, Dr. Aries Agung Paewai, said that digital industrial transformation requires the world of education to produce graduates who have global competence. “Through collaboration with the HGI Research Center and a number of leading vocational campuses in Shanghai, East Java, we hope to produce young talents who not only master the latest digital skills, but also have communication skills and an international outlook to support increasing regional industrial scale,” he said.
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Meanwhile, Vice President of the HGI Research Center, Wang Chen, emphasized that vocational education must go beyond mastery of technology alone. “Vocational education is not just about teaching the use of tools, but helping students understand how industry works and projects are run. In the era of AI, companies are no longer just looking for individuals who can use AI, but who are able to utilize it effectively. Therefore, the HGI Research Center is committed to bringing projects, processes and industry standards into classrooms in Indonesia,” he said.
During the visit, the East Java delegation and the HGI Research Center discussed a number of strategic agendas, including the preparation of a joint curriculum, strengthening international vocational skills certification, as well as the “Chinese + Class Skill” concept which combines Mandarin language learning with professional skills based on industry needs. This model is designed so that students have technical competence as well as cross-cultural communication skills that are relevant in the global job market.
The delegation also reviewed the implementation of modern vocational education in a number of institutions in Shanghai, such as Shanghai Qunxing Vocational and Technical School, Shanghai Caoyang Vocational and Technical School, and Shanghai Arts and Crafts Vocational College. The visit provided an overview of the application of project-based learning in the fields of animation, game development, digital media, artificial intelligence, and the use of technology for cultural preservation.
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In a meeting with the delegation, Deputy Director of the Education Bureau of Putuo District, Wang Zhenfei, explained that Putuo district currently houses 160 educational institutions with more than 100,000 students and around 12,000 teaching staff. Since 2020, the area has become one of the AI education pilots in Shanghai while continuing to strengthen the vocational education system to align with future industrial needs.
The collaboration between the East Java Provincial Education Office and the HGI Research Center is expected to be an entry point for improving the quality of vocational education that is more adaptive to technological developments. Apart from expanding access to digital skills and international certification, this collaboration is also aimed at building a learning ecosystem that connects the classroom with the real needs of the world of work and the digital economy.***
