Former Charles Darwin University Pro Vice-Chancellor, Antoine Barnaart (pictured) has received a prestigious National Friendship Award from China’s Vice-Premier, Zeng Peiyan, at a ceremony held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
The award is the highest honour a foreign expert can receive in China and was given in recognition of Mr Barnaart’s contribution to the development of China and his outstanding leadership and commitment as the Australian team leader of the AusAID-funded Australia/China Vocational Education and Training Project.
The award comes after his Exemplary Leadership Award from the Chair, Leadership Academy, Phoenix Arizona USA in 2006 and the Chongqing Three Gorges Foreign Experts Award in 2005.
The Chongqing Three Gorges Foreign Experts Award recognised Mr Barnaart’s outstanding contribution to the economic and cultural development of the Municipality of Chongqing, China.
Mr Barnaart has now moved to Bahrain where he will complete a three-year assignment as project manager for the Bahraini Secondary VET Project.