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The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The delegation of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Education will depart for Germany tonight (September 20) to conduct an overseas duty visit in Germany and Switzerland.
The duty visit aims at studying the vocational education and training (VET) in the two countries in greater detail. Members of the delegation will acquire first-hand understanding on the policy aspects and implementation experience of VET in both countries and study whether and how VET has served as an effective articulation pathway for young people. Delegation members will also study the respective roles of and collaboration between the Government, the academic sector, the business sector and other stakeholders in the provision of VET.
Apart from vocational education, the delegation will also take the opportunity to learn about the implementation of kindergarten education and integrated education in the two countries.
During its stay in Germany and Switzerland from September 21 to 25, the delegation will visit a number of vocational education institutes and governmental bodies. The delegation will meet with government officials and parliamentarians who are responsible for formulating VET policy, as well as academics and representatives of trade associations to obtain fresh ideas about the development of VET in Germany and Switzerland.
The itinerary of the visit is as follows:
September 21-23 (Monday-Wednesday)(Germany)
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* Visit to the Hessische Landesstelle fuer Technologiefortbildung, a vocational training institution of the State of Hesse;
* Visit to the Industriepark Höchst, an industrial park in Frankfurt;
* Meet with representatives of a private vocational training provider;
* Meet with the Hessian Minister of European and Federal Affairs and representatives of the relevant ministries and agencies;
* Visit to the Hessian Parliament;
* Meet with spokespersons on education policy from political parties represented in the Hessian Parliament;
* Visit to the Welcome Center Hessen of the Employment Agency in Frankfurt; and
* Visit to the Frankfurt Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
September 24-25 (Thursday-Friday)(Switzerland)
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* Visit to the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation;
* Visit to the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training and meet with the Director General;
* Meet with members of the Parliamentary Committee for Science, Education and Culture of Switzerland;
* Visit to the Trade and Craft Association and meet with the Deputy Director;
* Visit to the Department of Education and Vocational Training of the Canton Zurich;
* Visit to Swisscom, a major telecommunications provider in Switzerland and meet with the Head of Talents and Promotion;
* Visit to a vocational education and training school for crafts and construction in Zurich and meet with the Director; and
* Visit to the Zurich University of Applied Sciences.
The delegation is led by the Deputy Chairman of the LegCo Panel on Education, Mr Ip Kin-yuen. Other members include Mr Leung Yiu-chung, Mr Tam Yiu-chung, Mr Cheung Kwok-che, Dr Fernando Cheung and Dr Chiang Lai-wan who are Panel members, as well as Dr Elizabeth Quat who is a non-Panel member.
Ends/Sunday, September 20, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:00
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