From 27-28 December 2019, the first meeting of the third session of the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee of the Open University of China (OUC) for the 2019 autumn semester, along with a seminar on the application for master's degree conferral rights was held in Beijing. After a round of deliberation, the meeting decided to confer 2,648 graduates, including Zhao Ran, with OUC bachelor's degrees, and reached a consensus on the application for master’s degree conferral rights.

Jing Degang, chairman of the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Chu Hongqi, Yuan Wen, Ye Hong, and Lin Yu, as well as vice chairpersons and members of the committee, attended the meeting. Relevant responsible personnel sat in on the meeting.

Jing Degang pointed out that the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee must adhere to the principle of quality first, strictly control standards, and ensure the quality of OUC degrees. He also discussed the necessity and importance of applying for master's degree conferral rights for the OUC, as well as the difficulties that are being faced at present. He stressed that the OUC should pay attention to the following three aspects in applying for the right to grant master's degrees: explaining necessity, finding a good entry point, and demonstrating feasibility.

All members of the degree evaluation committee agreed that the OUC has reached an important period of transformation and development. Teachers and students have long expressed a wish for the OUC to apply for the right to grant master's degrees, which is also an objective need in order to improve the abilities of lifelong learners in society. The OUC’s 40 years of school running experience has laid a good foundation for graduate education.

A total of 2,860 undergraduate graduates applied for bachelor's degrees this semester. After deliberation and voting, the OUC Academic Degree Evaluation Committee conferred bachelor's degrees to 2,648 graduates.

At the request of the OUC Academic Degree Office and its sub-committees, the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee also passed the following items: passing score and scoring rules for the degree English examination, examination support services for visually impaired students in the School for the Disabled, and dissertation requirements for the water conservancy and hydroelectric engineering major.

By Liu Yuxia ,OUC