This symposium on 15 March 2018 at the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) discussed findings of two research studies. One was benchmarking research conducted in Hong Kong and European cities and the second, a General Research Fund (GRF) study[1] concerned the importance of partnerships and community engagement for Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET).

The benchmarking study in Hong Kong was a collaborative project between EdUHK[2] (UNEVOC Centre, Hong Kong and Department of International Education and Lifelong Learning), University of Glasgow (School of Education)[3], Hong Kong College of Technology and Hang Seng Management College. It used a benchmarking tool developed by University of Glasgow to evaluate the ways VPET institutions engage with their local region and communities. In Hong Kong, two VPET institutions were involved in the study between 2015 and 2017. The GRF study on partnerships for greening the Hong Kong economy examined the role of partnerships in supporting these processes.

This seminar discussed the effectiveness of the tool used for the benchmarking and reflects on the ways VPET institutions can be engaged with communities to benefit their social, economic and cultural development.

The seminar was opened by Professor John Chi Kin Lee, Vice President (academic) of the Education University of Hong Kong. Presentations were made by Dr. Margarita Pavlova, Director UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), Prof. Michael Osborne, Director of PASCAL Observatory for Europe, University of Glasgow, John Tibbitt, Honorary Senior Research Fellow, University of Glasgow and Vice-Chair Policy, PASCAL, Dr. Shirley Yeung, Director, Centre for Corporate Sustainability and Innovation, Hang Seng Management College, Ada Li, Director, Communication and Institutional Advancement, HKCT, Prof. Roberta Piazza, University of Catania and Leung Yam Shing, Deputy Executive Director, Vocational Training Council.

PASCAL and the University of Glasgow is very grateful for the hosting of the seminar by Education University of Hong Kong and to all of the participants. A more detailed report will follow.