Adhere to the basic principle of running the school in a systematic way
Reporter: The OUC (RTVU) educational system covers the whole of China and system construction is an issue of great concern to all. What are the OUC’s thoughts on system construction?
Jing Degang: From the perspective of the OUC, we have taken a consistent position, that is, that it is necessary to follow, safeguard, and defend the operation of the system. Systematic school running is the result of precious experience accumulated over the 40-year history of open universities (RTVUs). It is a magic weapon in building a lifelong education system oriented to the future and it is an important guarantee for coping with all kinds of challenges and contradictions, as well as fierce market competition. Systematic school running has been a principle upheld by all the previous Party committees because each of the open universities (RTVUs) would have little core competence without the system. Adherence to the operation of the entire system creates synergy; that’s where the real core competence of the OUC lies. Today, the one problem people frequently complain about is the name change. We are now turning to the Ministry of Education for help and making active communications to relevant departments and bureaus in an effort to solidify the renaming process as soon as possible.
At present, we are strengthening system construction through several channels. The first is the study and formulation of the OUC Charter in order to clearly define the operation of the open educational system and build the OUC educational system from the “constitutional” perspective of the university. The second is a system and capability of governance to be designed and created in line with the integrated educational path in order to achieve the operational goal of “unified strategy, common platform, resource sharing, relative independence, each with distinctive features of its own.” The third is that all local open universities and RTVUs should be asked to promulgate all documents and policies for the advancement of relevant measures. Without such procedures, no relevant documents can be promulgated. The fourth is the joint implementation of some of the OUC’s projects and events with local open universities and RTVUs, including the Belt and Road education action, the university for older adults, and social training. In other words, we must make advancements on the basis of integrated thought combined with the educational principles and concepts of the governance system.
Seize the day and live it to the full
Reporter: On the first work day of 2020, you lead a visit to iFLYTEK. Why did you choose to visit this company?
Jing Degang: At the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee it was made clear that it is necessary to “give full play to the advantages of online education and artificial intelligence, innovate education and learning methods, and accelerate the development of a more open and flexible education system that is oriented to everyone and suitable for everyone.” As such, bringing the advantages of online education and artificial intelligence into full play is a new topic and a major task for the OUC. It represents a new exploration of the new patterns and paths of higher education in the new era.
As far as the OUC is concerned, one of its current bottlenecks is the construction of information technology. The most prominent and fundamental problem before the new OUC Party committee is how to construct new information technology, how to build 5G-based information technology, and how to support education and teaching in the new era with information technology.
If the OUC really wants to become an “internet+” university, it must learn from the world’s most advanced information technology companies, and take the initiative to rely on them for knowledge, wisdom, talents, and strength. I have not only visited iFLYTEK but also Tencent, Baidu, Ping’an, and other internet enterprises. Leading communication and e-commerce companies, such as China Unicom, Huawei, and Alibaba, also keep close contact with the OUC. We will create alliances with the world’s most advanced enterprises, and work together to make OUC information technology into a system of “one route, one network, and one platform.” The “one route” is the 5G-based information highway. The 3,962 study centres from the headquarters to the rural communities have to be connected by 5G technology. The “one network” is the OUC learning network; there should not be any overlapping of multiple networks. The “one platform” is the information management platform. Today, the OUC headquarters has 83 information management systems, which is inconvenient for teachers and students. We must break down the barriers to information technology, and adopt a singular information management system covering all the basic data and management approaches. I am confident that the OUC will shape an efficient, convenient, and accessible 5G-based information system in the near future.
Reporter: What do you think about the future of Internet education?
Jing Degang: In the future, open education or online education is sure to be the historical trend, especially in the 5G and artificial intelligence era when education is not confined to a single pattern. People can learn in a more convenient way, and the approaches to and channels for learning will become more varied. I am full of confidence in the future of open education or online education.
Seen from perspective of the development of higher education, the future will be an era of teaching and learning beyond MOOCs, walls, and fixed learning. In the end, what form will it take? I think the new situation of higher education will engender the coexistence of several forms, with several difference competencies and types of business promoting one another. However, whatever types of education there may be, the future of higher education will integrate online and offline education, national and international interactive education. As a result, both economic and social benefits will be prioritised.
Reporter: I get the feeling that you believe that time waits for no man and we must seize the day. Where does your sense of urgency come from?
Jing Degang: This new decade represents an important juncture in the fight to achieve national rejuvenation. The fourth industrial revolution is developing rapidly and it is also the time for higher education to eradicate the old and foster the new, while also facing fierce competition. Any carelessness will lead to the loss of this historical opportunity. If this happens, then polishing the OUC brand will become idle talk. So we dare not be slack or careless. Only when we keep the mission firmly in mind and keep moving forward can we hold the relay baton and draw a new blueprint. We must work harder and be more practical. Only by consolidating a solid foundation and tackling any difficulties can we develop the OUC into a “national team” for “Internet + education”, a respectable university with life and energy, and a new type of university with great significance in the global open education field. Let’s seize the day and live it to the full.
By E-Learning Written by Li Guiyun and Liu Zenghui
Photographed by Weng Jianbin