Pakistan Signs 11 China Education Agreements, Launches 14 Youth Skills Projects

The agreements cover technical training and international qualifications in fields including nursing, green energy, agriculture and e-commerce, while a China Railway Group initiative will support skills development linked to the ML-1 upgrade. ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Nov, 2026) Pakistan has secured 11 cooperation agreements and 14 skills and education projects with Chinese institutions during Prime Minister's Youth Programme (PMYP) Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan's October 27 to November 3 visit to China, aimed at expanding international qualifications, technical training and employment opportunities for Pakistani youth, with Pakistan recording the highest number of signings among participating countries at the 27th China Annual Conference and Expo for International Education (CACIE 2026),according to a pressure release received Here. The agreements, signed or witnessed by the PMYP chairman, establish cooperation between Pakistani and Chinese institutions in mechatronics, green energy, mobile communications, nursing, modern agriculture, cross-border e-commerce and international skills certification. Of the 11 agreements, PMYP is directly a party to three, signed with the China Global Professional and Technical Certification Center, Jilin Electronic Information Vocational and Technical College, and Peili Vocational College. The remaining eight involve the University of Lahore, Ghazi University, NUTECH Karachi, Preston Institute of Management Science and Technology, and Punjab Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA), in partnership with Chinese vocational institutions. The visit also saw the unveiling or witnessing of 14 flagship skills and education initiatives, including an International Nursing Talent Training Base, a Cross-Border E-Commerce Talent Training Base unveiled by Rana Mashhood, Pakistan Tiangong College, a Joint Teacher Training Centre, and new committees on Industrial Robotics and Electronic Information Engineering. In a significant development for employment opportunities linked to the country's railway infrastructure, China Railway Group Secretary Han Hui flew to Pakistan on the same day following strategic discussions with the PMYP chairman to initiate on-ground work on skills training and employment opportunities associated with the Main Line-I (ML-1) railway upgrade. Under the academic cooperation arrangements, Jilin Electronic Information Vocational and Technical College has already trained 10 Pakistani faculty members and will enrol 15 Pakistani students in its Chinese language programme from November. "Every student enrolled and every teacher trained is a step towards a stronger, more skilled Pakistan," Rana Mashhood said. The chairman also co-launched the International Green Power Talent Development Base in collaboration with the China Electricity Council, Thailand's Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) and TANG International Education Group, aimed at strengthening international cooperation in green energy skills development. During the visit, he addressed the Belt and Road International Forum on Industry-Education Cooperation, emphasising the need to align vocational training with industry requirements, promote joint academic programmes, introduce internationally recognised certifications and strengthen vocational teacher training. He also addressed the International Seminar on Green Energy Talent Exchange at the China Electricity Council and held meetings with Pakistan's Ambassador to China Ali Asad Gillani and senior embassy officials to discuss diplomatic support for education and skills partnerships. In a separate meeting, Rana Mashhood held discussions with Mrs Benjawan Pokpong, Director of the Bureau of Cooperation at Thailand's OVEC, on expanding education and vocational training collaboration among Belt and Road partner countries. As part of the visit, the chairman presented the China-Pakistan International Education Cooperation Awards (2025-2026) under the auspices of the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing. To ensure effective implementation of the agreements and projects, the PMYP China Secretariat has been established at the Beijing headquarters of TANG International Education Group. It will coordinate cooperation among government departments, educational institutions and industry partners. Rana Mashhood said youth empowerment remained a key priority of the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, with the initiatives advancing the vision of a Skilled, Empowered and Digital Pakistan.