This project is a collaboration between the University of Bath, the South China University of Technology (SCUT), the Latin American Laboratory for Assessment of the Quality of Education, the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago, and the Office for UN Coordination in Latin America and the Caribbean.

It aims to develop an evidence-based competency assessment framework that identifies and defines the core skills and capabilities required for effective professional practice within major global organisations, such as UNICEF, UNESCO, and the World Bank.

Delivered by an international team of experts, the project will focus on:

defining the competencies needed for global roles
building a full training system, grounded in rigorous research and evidence, that is both practical and effective in real-world settings

Through Sino-foreign cooperation, the project seeks to serve as a national demonstration base for talent development in international organisations. It will establish a replicable and scalable 'South China University of Technology (SCUT) Model' and 'Guangzhou Experience', which will provide strong talent support for professionals' participation in global governance in the new era.

Funding and organisation

This project will be led by:

Dr Yanyan Chen: School of Foreign Languages, South China University of Technology
Professor Xianlong Zhu: School of Foreign Languages, South China University of Technology
Professor Andrés Sandoval Hernández: University of Bath
Fabián Fuentealba: UNESCO

Funding will be provided by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People's Republic of China. Project Number: 110000207220258034

Expected outputs

Academic activities

Eight high-level academic lectures and eight thematic workshops, reaching more than 200 faculty and students.

Assessment tools

An international competency indicator system and will be developed, together with an online training course, forming a replicable assessment and training scheme.