APR & GDWP Inaugurate Nanyang Incubation Base for TVET Collaboration

Shah Alam, Selangor Sep 7, 2026 (Issuewire.com) Guangdong Women Polytechnic (GDWP)s Nanyang Incubation Base (NIB) under the Lingnan Artisan Polytechnic Initiative was officially inaugurated at APR Electronic Services Sdn Bhd (APR)s Shah Alam office on 7 September, representing a new phase of collaboration between Malaysia and China in technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

The inauguration ceremony was witnessed by Rawang State Assemblyman YB Chua Wei Kiat, GDWP Party Secretary Che Xiao Zhen, representatives from GDWP and the Malaysian business community. The inauguration marks a new phase in the TVET collaboration between the two parties, which began in 2025, with the partnership now moving towards regular and sustained phase of collaboration through the NIB.

Representatives from GDWP attending the inauguration ceremony included Party Secretary Che Xiao Zhen, Professor Li Shuping, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages and International Trade (School of International Exchange), Li Zhenchao, Director of the Party and Government Office, Niu Yanhong, Deputy Director of the Academic Affairs Office, Jia Dongmei, Dean of the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Xu Wenjuan, Student Affairs Counsellor of the School of Management.

The NIB, which has been operational since 2025, has trained 109 local trainees and provided training to 158 corporate employees. The base aims to strengthen vocational education exchange between China and Malaysia while providing a platform for collaboration and integration between educational institutions, businesses and industry stakeholders.

GDWP is one of a select group of institutions designated as a Lingnan Artisan Polytechnic in Guangdong Province, and is the only public womens higher vocational college in South China. The Lingnan Artisan Polytechnic initiative seeks to strengthen collaboration between vocational institutions and industry, promote high-level technical skills development, and enhance the international exchange of vocational education and skills.

Its establishment of the NIB with APR in Malaysia aims to further promote vocational education exchange between China and Malaysia, while exploring an overseas education model that brings schools and enterprises together.

Strengthening EducationIndustry Collaboration

The collaboration between the two parties on the NIB builds on a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in October 2025 with Selangor Technical Skills Development Centre (STDC), establishing a framework for cooperation in training, entrepreneurship, vocational skills certification, as well as womens skills development and innovation.

APR Managing Director Danny Ng said that effective vocational education must remain closely aligned with industry needs, with corporate participation giving trainees exposure to real-world work environments while helping businesses better understand emerging talent requirements.

We hope this will not simply be a training venue, but a platform that truly connects education institutions, businesses and talent.

He highlighted APRs more than two decades of experience in the IT equipment circular economy, IT asset disposition (ITAD), electronics repair and vocational skills training, which enable the company to bring real-world technical and market requirements into the training system, ensuring that the skills acquired by trainees are more closely aligned with employment needs.

Ng further emphasised that Chinas extensive experience in vocational education and skills development, combined with Malaysias young and diverse talent pool, creates significant opportunities for deeper industryeducation integration.

Advancing Womens Skills Development and Career Progression

The NIB has received recognition from relevant authorities in Selangor and has established a partnership with the STDC, in addition to being aligned with Malaysias push for greater womens participation in TVET.

Moving forward, the NIB will provide a platform to develop initiatives combining Chinese language with vocational skills, encouraging womens participation in vocational skills training, particularly among students from lower-income backgrounds and women seeking to strengthen their professional capabilities.

In addition, both parties intend to progressively roll out specialised programmes for female entrepreneurs, involving industry collaboration and entrepreneurship-related initiatives that would offer women more options for employment, entrepreneurship and career development.

Ng believes that enhancing womens skills will not only create greater career opportunities, but can also contribute to the development of families and communities.

Through practical industry experience, we hope to connect education with market needs, giving more young people, especially women, the opportunity to develop practical skills and see greater possibilities for their career development.

From Malaysia to Broader Cooperation in Southeast Asia

For APR, the NIB represents more than a training facility. It serves as a platform connecting Chinese vocational education resources with Malaysian industry and education networks.

Moving forward, APR will continue to deepen its collaboration with GDWP, Malaysian educational institutions, businesses, industry associations and other stakeholders in areas including curriculum development, instructor training, skills development and industry-based learning.

Both APR and GDWP aim to use Malaysia as a starting point to gradually expand vocational education, talent development and industry cooperation across Southeast Asia, thereby further fostering exchanges between China and Malaysia in the education and industrial sectors.

We hope to first develop and establish a robust model in Malaysia before exploring opportunities to extend our cooperation to other countries in Southeast Asia, said Ng.

The official inauguration of the NIB not only represents a significant milestone in GDWPs efforts to deepen international education cooperation under the Lingnan Artisan Polytechnic initiative, but also reflects APRs ongoing commitment to cultivating industry talent, promoting womens skills development and advancing the integration of industry and education between China and Malaysia.