Cross-Border E-Commerce Consultation Meeting Concluded
As global trade transitions from offline to online and intelligent systems, e-commerce has evolved from a consumer-end tool into a new foundation for industrial internationalisation. Cross-border e-commerce has become not only a vital pathway for countries to integrate into global value chains, but also a key driver for the digital evolution of manufacturing, the international expansion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the enhancement of employment and innovation capacity.
China has been at the forefront of cross-border e-commerce and digital trade innovation. Its relevant platform systems, supply chain capabilities, and talent cultivation models have become important references for other countries. In recent years, the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area has witnessed the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce. Centered on Shenzhen and Guangzhou, it has developed a comprehensive industrial chain and an innovative ecosystem, accumulating extensive practical experience and a pool of professional talent.
Meanwhile, a lot of countries are embracing the digital economy and e-commerce as new enginee of growth, introducing forward-looking digital development policies. For instance, countries in Southeast and Central Asia are advancing e-commerce and skills development through national digital blueprints, improving policy frameworks and infrastructure, which aim to enable SMEs to participate in global digital trade. Collectively, these initiatives highlight a shared global trend. As the world accelerates toward the digital economy, cultivating cross-border e-commerce talent has become an important direction for universities to enhance capabilities, strengthen industry-academia integration, and serve national development agendas.
Anchored in China's Strengths, Serving Global Talent Development
On November 5th, 2025, UNESCO-ICHEI (Shenzhen, China), together with China Association of Trade in Services (CATIS) and China Cross Border E-commerce 50 Person Forum jointly hosted the "Digital Intelligence Talent Development: Expert Consultation on the Cross-border E-commerce Micro-certification Framework" at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech). The meeting focused on developing a micro-certification framework for cross-border e-commerce, exploring new pathways for cultivating internationally oriented e-commerce talent, building a talent pool to support the global expansion of cross-border trade, and serving the educational cooperation and industrial development needs of the Global South. Experts from the government, higher education institutions, industry organisations, and professional associations gathered to discuss how to nurture localised cross-border e-commerce digital intelligence talents equipped with international perspectives, regulatory awareness, and practical competencies for the era of digital trade. Speech by JIN Li, Director of UNESCO-ICHEI At the meeting, JIN Li, Director of UNESCO-ICHEI, shared the project vision and the significance of collaboration. JIN Li: Through this collaboration, we hope to bring together the wisdom of the education and industry sectors to jointly build a future-oriented talent development system for cross-border e-commerce in the digital era. UNESCO-ICHEI will continue to use education as a bridge to help more countries share the opportunities of the intelligent and digital age with partners from the Global South. All participants expressed their commitment to long-term collaboration in promoting the standardisation and internationalisation of cross-border e-commerce talent development systems, providing global learners with high-quality, accredited learning pathways, and fostering deeper industry cooperation internationally.
Keynote Theme: Focusing on Emerging Trends and Technologies to Build New Models for Talent Development
ZHONG Zeyu, Vice President and Secretary-General of the CATIS, and TANG Min, Former State Department counselor and Chairman of China Cross-Border E-commerce 50 Person Forum, delivered keynote speeches. Participants shared their insights and experiences, offering strategic guidance and industry perspectives for the development and implementation strategy of the cross-border e-commerce micro-certification curriculum system.
Experts including ZHONG Zeyu and TANG Min delivered keynote speeches in the meeting.
ZHONG Zeyu highlighted that China holds unique advantages in cross-border e-commerce and the digital economy. He emphasized the need to transform these industrial strengths into educational advantages by integrating "AI + cross-border e-commerce" to advance the internationalisation of education services and talent development. Cultivating cross-border e-commerce "digital intelligence talents" with digital literacy and intelligent application capabilities, he noted, is key to achieving the dual goals of "going global" and "localisation". Education, industry, and employment should form a mutually reinforcing "growth flywheel" driven by talent, enabling countries in the Global South to share the dividends of the digital era. TANG Min shared that global cross-border e-commerce has become a major component of retail trade and continues to grow rapidly, with emerging markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America serving as new engines of expansion. In this context, "AI + cross-border e-commerce" will play as a crucial driver of efficiency and growth for enterprises. Focusing on talent supply, he stressed the importance of building a training system that is practice-oriented, employment-driven, rapidly applicable, and sustainably iterative. Participants shared their insights and perspectives during the event. Curriculum Framework Design: Three Tiers Tailored to Diverse Learning Needs
The representatives from UNESCO-ICHEI and CATIS introduced the structure and implementation plan of the Cross-border E-commerce Micro-certification Curriculum System. According to the plan, the curriculum system will be structured into three tiers: Foundational Level (designed for future practitioners), Professional Level (targeting university educators and mid-level enterprise managers), and Strategic Level (serving university administrators and senior corporate executives). This tiered design aims to address the diverse learning needs of three distinct groups. The intellectual property of the courses will be jointly owned by all co-developing partners, ensuring shared benefits and collaborative outcomes. Grounded in international standards while emphasizing regional adaptability, the curriculum system seeks to provide flexible learning pathways for learners from different countries and skill levels, combining global recognition with local relevance. UNESCO-ICHEI emphasized that the development of the Cross-border E-commerce Micro-certification Curriculum System should be grounded in China’s practical achievements in cross-border e-commerce, forming a curriculum framework that is practical, standardized, and internationalized. The project will leverage UNESCO-ICHEI’s global university cooperation network and IIOE National Centres to launch pilot programmes in countries and institutions with established e-commerce foundations. Through a “dual-instructor” teaching model and a joint certification mechanism, it will promote localized implementation and continuous capacity building. Guided by the principle of “demand-driven, actionable, and results-oriented” initiatives, the project will first roll out key courses and training programmes, gradually refining standards and the overall framework to transform China’s successful experiences into globally applicable models for digital and intelligent talent development. Other participants also offered in-depth analyses of the future talent competency framework from multiple perspectives, including policy environment, international cooperation, technological transformation, and industry practice, providing valuable insights for the design of the curriculum content system. Representatives from institutions and enterprises, including the School of Economics and Management of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics–Alibaba International AI Employment Training Base, Zhejiang Financial College, Alibaba Business School, and Yeehai Global participated in the seminar and expressed their intention to actively engage in the future development and training of cross-border e-commerce courses. At the conclusion of the dialogue, participating leaders and experts also attended the launch ceremony for the joint development of the cross-border e-commerce curriculum project. Launch Ceremony of the Cross-Border E-Commerce Curriculum Co-Development Project
The meeting reached a broad consensus on cultivating digital intelligence talent for cross-border e-commerce. All parties agreed to jointly establish a collaborative and co-creative working mechanism to promote the continuous optimization and iteration of the curriculum framework. Together, they aim to provide replicable training models for developing countries, connect industry, education, and international resources, and empower younger generations in the Global South countries to enhance their skills and expand career pathways. Ultimately, this initiative seeks to link global digital economy ecosystems and contribute to sustainable development worldwide. About China Association of Trade in Services (CATIS) Founded in 2007 with the approval of the State Council of China and initiated by the Ministry of Commerce, the CATIS is a national industry organisation dedicated to the study and promotion of services, digital technology, the digital economy, and related trade. The Association is committed to advancing the transformation and upgrading from "Made in China" to "Serviced in China". Through its collaboration with the UNESCO-ICHEI, CATIS is jointly developing an international cross-border e-commerce micro-credential system. By leveraging its extensive industry resources and UNESCO-ICHEI's global education cooperation network, the partnership aims to explore innovative models for cross-border e-commerce talent cultivation, empowering the growth of smart digital talents and deepening educational collaboration among countries from the Global South. About China Cross-Border E-commerce 50 Person Forum Established with the support of the Counsellors' Office of the State Council, the China Cross-Border E-commerce 50 Person Forum brings together leading enterprises and experts in the cross-border e-commerce sector. The Secretariat of the Forum is housed within CATIS. The Forum is dedicated to advancing research on cross-border e-commerce policies and industry development, building talent development frameworks, and establishing platforms for international cooperation. It aims to promote innovation within the cross-border e-commerce ecosystem and foster compliant and sustainable business growth. As a key supporting partner of this event, the 50 Forum works together with the UNESCO-ICHEI to advance the Cross Border E-commerce Micro-certification System, integrating resources from government, industry, academia, and research. This collaboration provides practical experience for cultivating smart digital talents and strengthening international educational cooperation.
