On 24 September 2019, Ding Xiangyang, deputy secretary-general of the State Council, visited the Open University of China (OUC) with a delegation in order to conduct research and guide the construction of the National Credit Bank for Vocational Education, along with Sun Yao, vice minister of Ministry of Education (MOE).
Ding Xiangyang and his delegation visited the OUC "Internet + University" Operational Exhibition Centre, listened to a report on the OUC’s achievements in construction and development, learned about the progress of the construction of the National Credit Bank Information Platform for Vocational Education and the Information Management Service Platform for Vocational Skills Grade Certificates, and held a discussion with related responsible personnel.
During the meeting, Ding Xiangyang fully affirmed the achievements made by the OUC in the past 40 years since its establishment and its positive role in the process of building a National Credit Bank for Vocational Education. Over the past 40 years, Radio and Television Universities have achieved continuous development and expansion, keeping pace with the progress of reform and opening up. It has trained more than 14 million graduates, provided opportunities for social workers to receive continuing education, and played an important role in the process of national development.
Ding Xiangyang pointed out that the National Credit Bank for Vocational Education is an important part of the national qualification framework and a significant component of the national personal credit system construction. It integrates the functions of a personal learning information record and inquiry system, an employer credit inquiry system, and a lifelong learning account system and is of great significance to promoting the construction of lifelong learning and a learning society for all. The OUC has a responsibility to conduct work related to this and its preliminary work has achieved great results. Ding Xiangyang put forward four requirements for credit bank construction in the future: First, to plan for the strategic positioning of the credit bank and build a credit bank that can last for years. Second, to learn from the credit bank construction experience of other countries and build a professional skills certificate information management service platform and a vocational education national credit bank information platform, which will be combined with the pilot work of 1+X certificate and be launched as soon as possible. Third, to make full use of the advantages of the OUC’s school-running capacity, actively participate in national vocational skills upgrading, and play a role in providing resources for education for the elderly and serving lifelong learning for all. Fourth, to conduct a comprehensive study of the rules and related management methods for the recognition and accumulation of different types of learning outcomes and credit conversions in vocational education, higher education, and continuing education, and to construct a standardised, systematic management mechanism with a strong brand in order to accelerate the modernisation of education.
Sun Yao said that the MOE will coordinate and implement all the work in accordance with the requests of deputy secretary-general Ding Xiangyang. The Credit Bank is the foundation of the future national qualification framework. According to the requirements of national vocational education reform and development, we should clarify the division of responsibilities and working ideas, uphold the principle of “the integration of academic degrees and vocational skills certificates", promote relevant work in accordance with the schedule, constantly improve the operation system and supervision mechanism of the Credit Bank, strictly control the quality of the recognition, accumulation, and conversion of learning results, and help make the credits recorded become "golden credits" for students for life.
Jing Degang, secretary of the Party Committee and president of the OUC, reported on the progress of the construction of the National Credit Bank for Vocational Education. He promised to accelerate the construction of the Credit Bank in accordance with the relevant work requirements of the MOE and under the guidance of the MOE Department of Vocational and Adult Education, in order to contribute to broadening the available channels for the sustainable growth of technical and skilled personnel and building a lifelong education system.
Relevant responsible personnel from the Secretary Bureau of the General Office of the State Council, the MOE Division of Vocational and Adult Education, and the Research Institute of the Vocational and Technical Education Centre of the MOE, together with members of the leading group of the OUC and heads of its teaching and functional departments, participated in the research.
By OUC News Network