Tajik students build skills in China classrooms

TIANJIN — At the intelligent surveying and mapping training center of Tianjin Urban Construction Management and Vocation Technology College in North China, 21-year-old Tajik student Jonibek Ismoilov was busy fine-tuning equipment settings.

Around him, he and his classmates set up circuits, monitored data and recorded measurement results, while conversations in both Chinese and Russian filled the classroom.

In September 2024, Ismoilov and seven other students became the first group of students from the Luban Workshop in Tajikistan to come to this northern Chinese municipality to study. After completing the first two years of courses at the local Luban Workshop, they arrived in China as the first batch of students in the "2 plus 2" joint training program, where they received further instruction in engineering surveying, the operation and maintenance of surveying equipment, new power systems, and wind-solar hybrid technologies.

Lu Ban was an outstanding craftsman and inventor who lived in China more than 2,500 years ago.

The Luban Workshop is an international vocational education brand launched by Tianjin Municipality. Combining academic education with vocational training, it provides advanced training facilities and equipment, sends Chinese teachers and technicians to train instructors locally, and invites them to China for exchanges and handson learning, all in an effort to cultivate technical talent.

In March 2022, the Luban Workshop in Tajikistan was jointly launched by Tianjin Urban Construction Management and Vocation Technology College and Tajik Technical University. It began operating in November that year.

"The Luban Workshop gave us the opportunity to study in China. It focuses not only on classroom learning, but also on hands-on practice. We operate the equipment ourselves and take part in practical training, which has helped me understand how professional knowledge is applied in real engineering projects," Ismoilov says.

He has systematically studied practical surveying courses, gradually mastering professional skills through repeated training, from precision instrument operation to standardized circuit installation and real-time data monitoring.

Now, Ismoilov can read professional materials fluently and complete practical training independently. After finishing his current studies, he hopes to pursue a master's degree in Tianjin, specializing in advanced surveying technologies.

Another student benefiting from the Luban Workshop is Bakhtiyor Bozorzoda from Tajik Technical University. When he first enrolled, he felt uncertain whether geodesy and cartography were the right fields for him. But the advanced surveying equipment, digital mapping technologies and virtual simulation courses introduced at the workshop helped him see the discipline in a new light and sparked a lasting interest.

During his studies, Bozorzoda gained hands-on experience with high-precision instruments and digital mapping technologies. He also came to Tianjin for practical training and skills competitions, where he learned about China's advanced surveying equipment and modern engineering practices, further strengthening his career aspirations.

"I hope to continue my studies in China, learn more advanced surveying technologies, and contribute to infrastructure development in Tajikistan," Bozorzoda says.

Today, the Luban Workshop in Tajikistan has been operating for nearly four years, having provided learning and training opportunities for more than 2,900 undergraduate and graduate students. Its programs now span nine departments and 13 majors, including civil engineering and architecture.

Meanwhile, increasingly close exchanges between vocational education practitioners from China and Tajikistan have continued to improve the workshop's teaching quality.

Since 2022, Wu Zhengpeng, a teacher from Tianjin Urban Construction Management and Vocation Technology College, has embarked on a "two-way journey" across the Pamir Mountains. As a Chinese instructor at the Luban Workshop in Tajikistan, he has trained local teachers using advanced Chinese instruments and comprehensive teaching resources, building a learning platform more closely aligned with industrial needs.

"This is not a one-way exchange. We work closely with our Tajik colleagues to develop teaching plans and explore new approaches together. Through ongoing collaboration, we are building talent training models that better meet local needs," Wu says.

A total of 25 Tajik teachers have also participated in training programs in China. "Chinese teachers are both mentors and friends. They have offered many valuable ideas during teaching exchanges. Modern training equipment and specialized courses have greatly increased students' enthusiasm for learning," says Parviz Khujaev, a professor at Tajik Technical University.

Qudrat Davlatzoda, president of the university, says the Luban Workshop is a model of mutual respect and pragmatic cooperation between Tajikistan and China.

"It has not only brought us valuable experience and deep friendship, but also significantly improved the university's teaching and research capabilities, injecting new momentum into its development," he says.

To support local industrial development, Tianjin Urban Construction Management and Vocation Technology College has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with more than 10 China-funded enterprises operating in Tajikistan, establishing an industry-education alliance for talent development. The program provides targeted training and short — to medium-term vocational skills training for enterprise employees.

Li Qingbin, Party secretary of the college, says the Luban Workshop in Tajikistan has filled a gap in China-Tajikistan cooperation in vocational and technical education.

"It has provided much-needed talent for local economic and social development while building a bridge for people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning between the two countries, helping more young people grow into 'Silk Road craftsmen' serving the Belt and Road Initiative," Li says.