Commonwealth Asia Countries Commit to Regional Collaboration on Blended TVET at Valedictory Session in Chennai

Chennai, 8 October 2025

The three-day Consultative Meeting on Developing a Blended Learning Model for Polytechnic and ITI Institutions in Commonwealth Asia concluded on 8 October 2025, with a valedictory session that celebrated collaborative achievements and charted a clear path forward for regional TVET transformation.

The closing session, held at NITTTR Chennai, brought together senior officials and education leaders from six Commonwealth nations—Bangladesh, Brunei, Maldives, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and India—who reflected on intensive deliberations, shared learning experiences, and concrete action plans developed over the course of the meeting.

Participants Share Reflections and Next Steps:

The valedictory session commenced with participants sharing their reflections on the three-day journey. Delegates highlighted the value of peer learning through case studies, the depth of technical sessions on blended learning frameworks, and the practical insights gained from group work on institutional readiness, curriculum design, pedagogy, technology integration, and faculty development.

Country representatives also outlined various priority areas on which immediate action is needed upon returning to their respective nations. Significantly, delegates expressed strong intent to collaborate not only with COL-CEMCA but also with fellow participating countries, recognising the value of South-South cooperation and peer learning in addressing common challenges and scaling successful innovations across the region.

Country delegations expressed appreciation for the collaborative spirit and the opportunity to learn from diverse TVET landscapes across the region, noting that the exposure visit to NITTTR Chennai and NIMI provided tangible examples of excellence in technical education delivery that they could adapt to their national contexts.

Commitment to Collaborative Action:

Dr. B. Shadrach, Director, COL-CEMCA, New Delhi, delivered the synthesis address, emphasising the critical importance of sustained regional collaboration in scaling blended learning across Commonwealth Asia. He commended participating countries for their active engagement and urged delegates to translate the 12-month national action plans into measurable outcomes that advance equity, quality, and flexibility in TVET delivery.

Dr. Shadrach reiterated COL-CEMCA's commitment to supporting participating nations through continued technical assistance, knowledge sharing platforms, and the development of a Regional Collaborative Framework for Blended TVET.

Closing Remarks and Certificates:

Prof. Usha Natesan, Director, NITTTR Chennai, delivered the closing remarks, congratulating delegates on their contributions and highlighting the significance of this consultative process in shaping the future of technical and vocational education in the region. She expressed confidence that the frameworks and strategies developed during the meeting would serve as catalysts for systemic reform and innovation.

Certificates of participation were distributed to all delegates in recognition of their engagement and commitment to advancing blended learning in TVET.

Vote of Thanks:

Prof. E. Balasubramanian, Dean – Centre for International Affairs, NITTTR Chennai, proposed the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to COL-CEMCA for its leadership in convening this important regional dialogue. He acknowledged the active participation of all country delegations, resource persons, moderators, and the NITTTR Chennai team for ensuring the success of the consultative meeting.

Way Forward:

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to regional collaboration, with participating countries pledging to implement their national action plans and to possibly reconvene annually to review progress, share implementation experiences, and further refine the respective National TVET systems.

The Consultative Meeting was jointly organised by the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) and the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR), Chennai, from 6-8 October 2025.