On 4 April 2019, the Open University of China (OUC) signed an agreement with Tongliao Vocational College in Beijing regarding their cooperation on the OUC’s “Dual Enhancement of Vocational Skills and Educational Levels for Housekeeping Service Practitioners” project (“Dual Enhancement” Project).

A signing ceremony and symposium were held between the two sides to exchange ideas on vocational education and cooperation. It was attended by Qi Yanwei, OUC vice president, member of Tongliao Municipal Standing Party Committee, and deputy mayor of Tongliao Municipal Government; Hu Yang, director of the OUC Department of External Education and Professional Training (MOE Research & Training Centre for Community Education); Fu Jianjun, executive vice principal of the OUC Secondary Technical School; Cai Lisong, director of the Certificate Education Centre of OUC Training Centre; Lv Yongcheng, secretary of Party Committee of Tongliao Vocational College; Cui Wen, deputy dean of Tongliao Vocational College; Hasibateer, director of Party and Administration of Tongliao Vocational College; and Tu Jialin, director of Mengdongqing Training Centre.

The “Dual Enhancement” project represents the OUC’s implementation of the spirit of the document issued by the State Council on Issuing the Notice of National Vocational Education Reform and Implementation Plan (Document Guofa 2019-4). In light of the OUC’s educational orientation, national non-degree education policies, and research and analysis into the non-degree education needs of practitioners in the industry, the OUC has created the “Dual Enhancement” project to integrate the enhancement of vocational skills with educational levels for practitioners in industries such as housekeeping services, health management, and elderly services, which focuses on the development of abilities and is closely related to the occupational orientation and conforms to the OUC credit bank.

During the symposium, in-depth discussions were held on vocational skills training, credit bank policies, and the integration of degree and non-degree education. Mutual understanding was reached on the expansion of areas of cooperation in vocational education and the joint development of new projects.

Qi Yanwei gave a speech at the symposium in which he spoke highly of the design, practice, and learner development model of the “Dual Enhancement” project. He put forward higher requirements for vocational education, learner development, and ability enhancement, and wished that the two sides could expand their areas of cooperation, carry out an in-depth investigation of market needs, help the project reach a certain scale to influence other areas, and make it into an OUC brand project.

By Dong Sujuan, OUC