Strengthening education systems starts with empowering the people who teach, lead, and shape them every day — and Niagara College is helping bring that vision to life through a new global partnership in Mongolia.
Niagara College’s Institute for Global Education and Training, through its Global Education Projects team, is partnering with Northern College and Cambrian College on the SkillShift-04 Project – National Teacher Training Program, part of the broader SkillShift Mongolia Program.
Funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, SkillShift Mongolia is a five-year (2025-2030) program designed to strengthen Mongolia’s technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system to better equip learners with the skills needed for a rapidly evolving labour market.
Through collaboration between Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) and Mongolia’s Ministry of Education, the program supports the development of national vocational qualifications, leadership training for TVET administrators, and the integration of gender equality and inclusion across education policies and practices.
The 3.5-year SkillShift-04 project (2026 to 2029) will support the development of a new national teacher training program for Mongolia’s TVET sector, with gender and inclusion components. The Canadian partners will work alongside Mongolia’s Ministry of Education, three local polytechnic colleges and the General Education Authority to create a teacher training model that can be scaled nationally.
The initiative is expected to support 36 polytechnic teachers, three polytechnic leaders, 10 government officials from various ministries and agencies, and nine master trainers, who will continue delivering training after the project concludes.
“The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to building responsive, future-ready education systems,” said Gary Torraville, NC’s Senior Director, Enterprises. “The project helps ensure Mongolia’s TVET system remains responsive, inclusive, and aligned with the country’s social and economic priorities, while also allowing us to learn from local expertise and practice, fostering mutual learning between Canadian and Mongolian partners.”
Delegation from Mongolia visits NC
On April 24, Niagara College welcomed a delegation from Mongolia, including representatives from the Ministry of Education — Narangerel Nyamsambuu, Director General, Higher and Vocational Education Policy Department, and Doljunsuren Sodnomtseren, Director General, Finance and Investment Department. CICan representatives were also in attendance – Moritz Schmidt, Manager, SkillShift Program, and Dr. David Harvey, Senior Technical Advisor and Country Representative in Mongolia, SkillShift Program.
Gary Torraville, Senior Director, Enterprises, hosted global partners from Mongolia during their visit to Niagara College.
Hosted by NC’s Global Education Projects team, with support from multiple areas across the college, the visit focused on shared priorities in equity and inclusion, and applied, career-focused education, including sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, hospitality, applied research, and faculty development.
The delegation toured the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, visiting the Indigenous Education Centre, Culinary Arts classes, and the Horticulture and Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre. The visit also featured presentations and discussions highlighting Niagara College’s renewable energy initiatives, learning enterprises, and employer and community partnerships. It concluded at the Wine Visitor + Education Centre, where the delegation experienced one of Niagara College’s learning enterprises firsthand.
Through global engagement, Niagara College continues to support innovation and education around the world.
