China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area is located in Jiaozhou, Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

To offer better support for strong talent growth in enhancing opening-up, the Qingdao, Shandong province-based China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area has explored innovative cooperation with SCO member states in education.

In January, the China-SCO Institute of Economy and Trade was officially inaugurated. It was designed to be developed into a major educational institution for advanced international economic and trade talent based in the area.

"It serves as an open platform for the integration of scientific research, education and industries with international influence, and to further train talent from SCO member countries to enhance multilateral economic and trade cooperation," said Zhang Xinzhu, secretary of the area's Party working committee and a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Qingdao Committee.

Progress in governing institutions and systems, physical educational spaces, faculties, life and supporting facilities has been seen during the past months, and training sessions on various subjects and academic exchanges both online and offline have been held.

Avazov Nasimjon, an international student at Shandong University of Science and Technology from Tajikistan, enrolled in a training course on new-generation communications technologies at the institute this summer.

"Through this training session, I have deepened my understanding of cross-border e-commerce, which is an important part of my study in China," Nasimjon said.

"After returning home, I want to put what I have learned into practice and work as a messenger of economic and trade exchanges between China and my home country," he added.

The courses Nasimjon attended were part of the many sessions the China-SCO Institute of Economy and Trade offered to international trainees from SCO member states and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative this year.

So far, the institute has carried out 81 training sessions for more than 7,200 participants, empowering them with practical skills through online and offline training sessions, academic exchanges and practice programs covering languages, e-commerce, sci-tech-powered poverty alleviation, trade and multimedia to prepare for a future career.

Qingdao University, the operator of the institute, has established cooperation programs with universities and colleges in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

The University of International Business and Economics, Shandong Foreign Trade Vocational College and Shandong University have also started joint training, research and practice programs in the institute with universities from Russia, India and Tajikistan, as well as enterprises.

"More efforts will be made on developing new cooperation platforms with countries involved, so as to promote more concrete cooperation in the fields of economic cooperation and trade and humanistic exchanges and to make new progress in developing new platforms for Belt and Road cooperation," Zhang added.