Shandong fashion institute deepens ties with foreign universities

Established in 2000, Shandong Vocational Institute of Fashion Technology has deepened its cooperation with foreign universities to nurture internationalized talent.

With around 12,000 students on campus, it has built diversified international growth pathways for students, cultivating over 200 technical talents with an international perspective.

On July 12, SVIFT lecturers Ma Baoli and Zhang Shumin returned to China after completing their "Chinese + Vocational Skills" teaching assignments at Tra Vinh University in Vietnam.

The Vietnam Luban-Mozi College (Luthai Textile) "Chinese + Vocational Skills" training program, jointly established by SVIFT, Luthai Textile and TVU, has now completed two sessions, with the most recent lasting three months.

Back in November, SVIFT first dispatched Liu Guirong, head of the textile inspection and trade program, and Bai Zhanzhan, a key faculty member in fashion design, to Vietnam for a one-month training session.

Upon arriving in Vietnam, language barriers and cultural differences posed challenges for them. To help Vietnamese students better grasp textile theory, Liu brought physical teaching aids such as traditional Chinese silk samples and high-end Luthai fabrics, allowing students to touch, compare and observe.

Bai guided students through two major modules — Draping on Mannequin Design and Fashion Illustration Expression. In addition, she used daily Chinese tutoring and exchange activities to help Vietnamese students strengthen their Chinese language foundations while honing their skills.

Building on the valuable experience from the first session, the second training session added on-site practice guidance for the teachers at Luthai Textile's Vietnam factory.

SVIFT President Ma Pei'an said: "We have adopted an open approach to schooling, served development, continuously improved our international cooperation level and global influence, disseminated China's vocational education experience overseas, and explored new pathways for vocational education to 'go global'."

He said SVIFT will adhere to the principle that education follows industry and it will provide vocational education services wherever industry extends.

SVIFT teachers have used clothing as a vehicle, allowing traditional Chinese culture to take root and blossom in foreign soil.

At the closing ceremony of the second session of the Vietnam Luban-Mozi College (Luthai Textile) program, the organizers awarded certificates to 22 students who had finished all course requirements and passed the comprehensive assessment.

Luthai Textile, leveraging the school-enterprise cooperative education mechanism, presented special scholarships to outstanding students, encouraging them to deepen their professional skills and enhance their vocational qualities.

So far, students of the program have produced 22 silk-fan pieces, 19 cotton-knitted ornaments, 60 tiedyed fabric samples, 10 miniature draped mannequins, 22 custom-made garments, and over 60 handcrafted items including Chinese knots, handmade fabric buttons and sewn pencil cases.

These exquisite products, which blend characteristics of both Chinese and Vietnamese cultures with traditional craftsmanship, have been collected by the Chinese Department of TVU and are on permanent display as cultural exhibits on campus.

By hosting and participating in various international competitions to sharpen students' skills, SVIFT has also unfolded a range of cultural exchange activities between China and other countries.

Earlier, SVIFT hosted the 2024 BRICS Skills Competition — Data Analysis and Visualization China Regional International Finals, winning the gold medal among 174 competing teams from China, Russia, Brazil, India, South Africa and elsewhere.

As one of the first model schools in Shandong province for the inheritance of outstanding traditional Chinese culture, SVIFT has integrated traditional culture, Mount Tai culture, and the spirit of craftsmanship into its internationalization strategy.

Leveraging its distinctive strengths in fashion-related programs, SVIFT has established physical Luban-Mozi colleges in Malaysia and Vietnam.

In expanding its international cooperation pathways, SVIFT has jointly established the Belt and Road Initiative China Research Center with Surat Thani Rajabhat University in Thailand. In 2025, it was elected as a vice-chairman unit of the Industry-Education Integration International Development Alliance and a vice-chairman unit of the China-Tajikistan School-Enterprise Alliance.

SVIFT has also built cooperative projects by signing a bilateral exchange student agreement with Gyeongsang National University in South Korea, regularly selecting outstanding students to study there, and has sent nine groups of exchange students.

It established a China-Italy cooperative program in fashion and apparel design with the Rosario Gagliardi Academy of Fine Arts and has seen stable enrollment since 2022.

Li Jinqiang and Zhang Baiqing contributed to this article.