China's Luban Workshop in Madagascar fuels local skills development

TIANJIN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Dimbin'ny Riana Fitiavana Mamelasoa, a 23-year-old Malagasy student in China, is spending her winter break interning at a software company in north China's Tianjin Municipality, honing skills she hopes to take back home.

Mamelasoa arrived in China in October 2025 to study software technology at the Tianjin Vocational College of Mechanics and Electricity, following earlier training at the Luban Workshop in Madagascar.

"There, I learned mostly about equipment structure and installation," she said, adding that her studies have since shifted toward programming, software systems and engineering in China. Her plan is to return to Madagascar in the summer of 2026 to intern at a Chinese-funded enterprise.

Her journey mirrors the evolution of Madagascar's Luban Workshop, which has celebrated its fifth anniversary. Established in December 2020 through cooperation between the University of Antananarivo and Chinese vocational institutions and enterprises, it became China's 10th Luban Workshop in Africa.

Named after ancient Chinese woodcraft master Lu Ban, whose life and work have come to represent the tradition and spirit of Chinese craftsmanship, these workshops are part of a vocational education program designed to cultivate local technical talent overseas. Mamy Raoul Ravelomanana, former president of the University of Antananarivo, described the 10th workshop as "an important bridge for Madagascar's industrialization."

Initially offering electrical and automotive engineering training, the workshop has since expanded to facilitate four majors, adding mechanical engineering and information technology. It now operates two training bases and nine laboratories equipped with 286 teaching tool sets -- facilities local teachers have called "unique in Madagascar" as they move training beyond manual machine tools.

Over its five years, the workshop has worked to address skills shortages in areas such as advanced manufacturing, green energy and modern automotive technology, while also deepening people-to-people and industrial exchange between China and Madagascar.

A defining feature is its EPIP (Engineering Practice Innovation Project) teaching model, which allocates one-quarter of course duration to theory and three-quarters to hands-on practice. Courses are built around real engineering projects, encouraging students to learn by doing, and to develop practical problem-solving skills.

Toky Ny Aina Nancy Ratianarinoro, who was among the workshop's first cohort, later interned at a maintenance service center of China Railway 18 Bureau Group Co. in Madagascar and became its first female technician. "I had worked with similar equipment during my studies," she said. "The models may differ, but the principles are the same, so it wasn't hard to get started."

Of the workshop's first 29 graduates, most have entered local companies through internships and received formal job offers, while a few have pursued further study. Some second and third-year students have already been recruited in advance. "Hands-on experience gives our students a clear edge," said Edmond Randriamora, a professor at the University of Antananarivo.

Since first enrolling students in 2022, the workshop has trained 156 undergraduates. Chinese and Malagasy educators have jointly developed four international teaching standards, 25 bilingual courses and 28 sets of Chinese-English textbooks, supported by more than 5,000 minutes of video resources.

Teacher training has also been a priority. Thirteen Malagasy instructors have received training in China, and Chinese teachers and technicians have conducted on-site exchanges in Madagascar, steadily improving teaching quality.

In November 2025, the Madagascar Luban Workshop was featured as a China-Africa vocational education cooperation project under the broader Future of Africa project launched between China and Africa.

Wang Weiyuan, president of the Tianjin Vocational College of Mechanics and Electricity, said that the workshop exemplifies the importance of training both vocational instructors and local technical talent. "It is a vivid symbol of China-Madagascar friendship and a bridge linking our two countries," he said.

According to local education authorities, Tianjin has established 12 Luban Workshops across 11 African countries. In total, China has established 17 Luban Workshops in 15 African countries and trained tens of thousands of professionals, providing strong intellectual support for African development.

The Madagascar workshop's training model is closely linked to the long-term local presence of Chinese enterprises such as China Railway 18 Bureau Group Co., which has operated in Madagascar since 2004, undertaking road, bridge, water conservancy and housing projects.

"We share China's culture, technology and standards while building local capacity," said Qiu Yuliang, general manager of the group's Madagascar branch. "In doing so, we help cultivate a skilled workforce and strengthen ties between the two countries."