EU and ASEAN showcase industry partnerships to strengthen future workforce skills

EU and ASEAN showcase industry partnerships to strengthen future workforce skills

PENANG, Malaysia - Practical collaboration between industry and education institutions took centre stage at the Closing the Gap Workshop 2026 in Penang, Malaysia, where ASEAN and EU partners explored how apprenticeship models, industry-linked training, and cross-sector partnerships can better prepare learners for evolving workforce demands.

Jointly organised on 12-14 May 2026 by the Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education (DPCCE), Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, and the EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package - Higher Education (SCOPE-HE) programme, implemented by Nuffic and DAAD, the three-day workshop brought together representatives from governments, TVET institutions, industry, and regional organisations across ASEAN and the EU.

The workshop focused on practical approaches to strengthen employability, promote industry-driven education systems, and support workforce readiness in response to the green and digital transitions shaping economies across the region.

The workshop also reinforced broader ASEAN-EU commitments under the ASEAN-EU Plan of Action 2023-2027 to strengthen cooperation on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and workforce readiness.

Opening the workshop, H.E. Sujiro Seam, Ambassador of the European Union to ASEAN, highlighted the importance of strengthening education-industry partnerships to support ASEAN's evolving skills needs.

"Today's workshop is a concrete step in implementing the ASEAN-EU Plan of Action 2023-2027, where we committed to deepen our cooperation on Technical and Vocational Education and Training by sharing best practices and advancing TVET across the region. TVET is at the heart of the EU's Global Gateway strategy, which promotes sustainable connectivity in key sectors such as digital, transport, climate and energy, health, and - crucially - education and research. The success of Global Gateway investments depends on a skilled local workforce, so that our investments in green energy, digital connectivity, transport and health translate into quality jobs and lasting benefits for the peoples of ASEAN and the EU."

The Director of the TVET Coordination Division, Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education (DPCCE), Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, Dr. Zamzam bin Mohd Walid, noted that Malaysia is strengthening its TVET ecosystem by integrating technical competencies with critical thinking daptability, and lifelong learning, in line with the Malaysia Higher Education Blueprint 2026-2035, which promotes a more flexible and industry-connected learning ecosystem.

"The future of education must extend beyond classrooms, taking place across workplaces and collaborative platforms that bridge academia and industry," he said.

Puan Hilmun binti Mohamed, Director of Curriculum Division, Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education (DPCCE), Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, emphasised the importance of sustaining collaboration beyond the workshop.

"Workforce readiness cannot be built in isolation. It requires trust, cooperation, sustained commitment, and a shared willingness to move forward together. The partnerships and networks built throughout this workshop will be important in supporting more responsive and future-ready education and TVET systems across the region."

Throughout the workshop, participants exchanged experiences on multi-stakeholder collaboration, sustainable partnership models, and strategies to better align education systems with labour market needs. Discussions also highlighted the importance of lifelong learning, adaptability, and stronger cooperation between education providers and employers.

The workshop concluded with a site visit to Robert Bosch (M) Sdn Bhd in Penang, where participants were introduced to the company's apprenticeship and industry training approaches. The visit provided practical insights into how industry-education collaboration can help equip learners with skills relevant to evolving workforce demands, particularly in high-technology sectors.

The Closing the Gap Workshop series was launched under the SCOPE-HE programme to address employability challenges and strengthen collaboration between TVET systems and industry across ASEAN. The initiative contributes to broader regional efforts to strengthen skills development and workforce readiness, in line with the ASEAN TVET Council Work Plan 2021-2030 and the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan 2026-2035.

About SCOPE-HE Programme
The EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package - Higher Education (SCOPE-HE) is a collaborative initiative funded by the European Union (EU) and approved by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), running from February 2024 to January 2028 with a budget of EUR 9.3 million. Implemented by Nuffic, the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education, in partnership with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), SCOPE-HE builds on previous programmes like EU Support for Higher Education in ASEAN Region (SHARE) and ERASMUS+.

The SCOPE-HE programme focuses on enhancing exchanges and connectivity in higher education, research, and technical and vocational education and training within ASEAN and between ASEAN and the EU, with particular emphasis on the green transition, digital transformation, and the blue economy. Key activities include facilitating student and academic mobility, strengthening university networks to foster research collaboration, and improving graduate employability by connecting vocational education institutions with the private sector. Through these efforts, SCOPE-HE aims to create a more connected and dynamic higher education landscape, empowering future generations and strengthening the economic and social fabric of the region.

For more information about the SCOPE-HE programme, access: https://euinasean.eu/scope-he/