2020 marks an extremely unusual year in the history and development of the Open University of China (OUC). The spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) guides the reform and development of the OUC and the call to “develop a high quality educational system” provides a basic principle for the transformation of the OUC.

In January 2020, Vice Premier Sun Chunlan visited the OUC and set out the direction for the OUC’s reform and development. In the same year, the Ministry of Education also issued the OUC Comprehensive Reform Plan, which marks new breakthroughs in the reform and development of the OUC system and signifies that the OUC is stepping onto a new stage for its transformation. The OUC will comprehensively implement the spirit of the first OUC Congress and aim to build a first-class global open university. It will also focus on the requirements for the “high quality development of open universities” and coordinate the work of both epidemic prevention and control and university development. The university’s governance system and governance abilities have been increasingly enhanced and the OUC system has pulled together with greater cohesion and unity, both of which have laid an important foundation for the OUC to move confidently towards the construction of a first-class global open university.

Vice Premier Sun Chunlan of the State Council Surveys the Open University of China: Highlighting Quality and Development of Vocational Education

Sun Chunlan, a member of the Standing Committee of the 19th CPC Central Committee Political Bureau and Vice Premier of the State Council, underlined during her survey of the Open University of China (OUC) on 15 January that General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on vocational education should be further implemented and that the decisions and deployment of the Party Central Committee and the State Council to deepen vocational education reform, to optimise the structure of highly skilled professionals, and to offer support for high quality economic and social development should be earnestly put in place.

Vice Minister of Education Weng Tiehui and Her Delegation Visit the OUC

On the afternoon of 17 December 2020, a delegation headed by Weng Tiehui, member of the Party leadership group and vice minister of the Ministry of Education (MOE) visited the Open University of China (OUC) to investigate its work in lifelong education and attend the North China Symposium on "Building an Education System Serving Lifelong Learning for All". The vice Minister praised the contribution of the OUC to the construction of a system of lifelong education designed to serve everyone, and gave instructions on the establishment of the national university for older adults, the enhancement of community education, and the joint training of postgraduates relying on the OUC system.

OUC Publicly Releases Annual Quality Report for the First Time

For the first time, the OUC has publicly released its annual quality report, which comprehensively lays out and sums up the OUC’s quality-related work in 2018 and reflects the OUC’s educational operation and characteristics as a new style of university.

Working Together to Overcome Difficulties, OUC Holds Video Conference on Epidemic Prevention and Control within its Organisation System

In order to gather collective strength and work together to overcome difficulties, the OUC held a special video conference on the prevention and control of COVID-19 on 30 January 2020. The meeting allocated the epidemic prevention and control work for the OUC organisation system and explained the enrolment, teaching, and examination work for the new semester.

OUC Teachers and Students Simultaneously Attend "First Lesson of the New Term"

On 24 February 2020, Jing Degang, secretary of the Party Committee and president of the Open University of China (OUC), gave a live video speech on "Patriotism and Growth,” marking the first lesson of the new term for students and staff of the OUC across China.

OUC Convenes 2020 Annual Work Conference and Conference to Coordinate Epidemic Prevention and Control Efforts and OUC Development and Deployment

On 9 March 2020, the Open University of China (OUC) convened the its 2020 Annual Work Conference and the Conference to Coordinate Epidemic Prevention and Control Efforts and OUC Development and Deployment. The guiding principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches and the relevant demands of the Leading Party Group of the Ministry of Education on COVID-19 prevention and control were conveyed and studied. General Secretary Xi has outlined the necessary efforts to coordinate both COVID-19 prevention and control and economic and social development at a series of meetings. It was noted at the OUC conference that the OUC should act on the important guiding principles laid out by General Secretary Xi Jinping, the requirements put forwards by vice premier Sun Chunlan during her survey of the OUC, and the corresponding arrangements of the Leading Party Group of the Ministry of Education. The OUC will coordinate both epidemic prevention and control and its business development in combination with the goals and tasks set at the First Party Congress of the OUC.

OUC Themed Online Learning: Tell Stories of Progressive Youth Fighting the Epidemic

In order to study and put into practice the important guiding principles of general secretary Xi’s letter to the young medical workers, and to develop a trend of earnestly studying, discussing, and practicing Xi’s remarks among the teachers and students of the Open University of China (OUC) system, the OUC launched a learning activity with the theme of Tell Stories of Progressive Youth Fighting the Epidemic.

OUC and Baidu Cooperate on Establishment of New Generation Information Technology College for Training AI Professionals

On 15 August 2020, at the AI + Education Development Sub-forum of AIEXPO2020 jointly organised by the Open University of China (OUC), Baidu, and Baizhi Tiantuo Co., Ltd, Baidu and its cooperative partner Baizhi Tiantuo signed a cooperation agreement with the OUC on the establishment of the New Generation Information Technology College to boost the OUC’s vocational education for AI professionals and the joint development of a market for social education related to the new generation of information technology.

Pursue Your Dreams: OUC Holds First Class for 640,000 OUC Teachers and Students

At 10am on 31 August 2020, Cao Guoyong, executive deputy secretary of the CPC Committee of the Open University of China (OUC), launched the OUC’s 2020 autumn semester with a live video broadcast to all the students and teaching staff of the national system of open universities. The topic of this “first class” was “Building a First-Class Global Open University.”

Financial Management Department of the National Government Offices Administration and the OUC Sign Cooperation Agreement

On 4 September 2020, the Financial Management Department of the National Government Offices Administration (NGOA) signed a cooperation agreement with the Open University of China (OUC) to jointly build a resource sharing platform for universities for older adults affiliated to China’s state organs. The purpose of the cooperation is to meet the online teaching needs of the universities for older adults affiliated with the various departments of China’s state organs and promote the online sharing of high-quality education resources among such universities.

OUC Comprehensive Reform Plan Released by the Ministry of Education

After the deliberation and approval of its leading Party group, the Ministry of Education released the OUC Comprehensive Reform Plan on 31 August 2020. The plan includes background, guiding principles and overall thought, specific tasks, and guarantee measures, as well as organisation and implementation.

OUC Holds Meeting on Work Promotion in 2020 to Implement the OUC Comprehensive Reform Plan in an All-Round Way

The Open University of China (OUC) held a work conference in Beijing from 21-22 September 2020. The theme of the conference was thoroughly studying and implementing general secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on education and implementing the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and National Education Conference under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought with Chinese characteristics for a New Era. It also aimed to unite with and lead the open universities in China to reach a common understanding, enhance cohesion, and seek common development, so as to realise the development goals proposed in the OUC Comprehensive Reform Plan.

107 Students Named “OUC Advanced Individuals Fighting Covid-19”

The pandemic is still raging worldwide, and risks of sporadic cases and local outbreaks still exist in China, requiring efforts to continue. Given this situation, the OUC has decided to commend those individuals in order to encourage morale, hold them up as models, and enhance cohesion on the road to ultimate victory.

OUC Places Second in the 6th China International Internet Plus College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition

In the finals of the 6th China International Internet Plus College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, held at the South China University of Technology from 17 to 19 November, 2020, a project submitted by the Bingtuan Branch of the Open University of China (OUC) finished second in the Vocational Education category.

2020 OUC Teaching Work Conference Held in Hangzhou

The Open University of China (OUC) held its 2020 Teaching Work Conference in Hangzhou from 26-27 November 2020. The aim of the conference was to study and implement the guiding principles of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, promote the implementation of the OUC Comprehensive Reform Plan, and drive the in-depth development of the education and teaching reform of the OUC and improvement of the quality of personnel training.

OUC Holds a Meeting on the Construction of Courses in Ideology and Political Theory and the Founding of a Related Steering Committee

On 5 December 2020, the Open University of China (OUC) held a meeting in Beijing on the construction of courses in ideology and political theory, and the founding of a steering committee for the teaching of ideology and political theory. After discussion, the meeting passed the new committee’s constitution, comprised of 5 chapters and 16 articles, and including provisions on its nature, organisation, responsibilities and operations.

OUC's Tang Yingshan and Wang Zhuo Receive the “Famous Teacher Prize” for Excellence in Teaching at Beijing Universities

Recently, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission (BMEC) announced its recipients of the 2020 “Famous Teacher Prize” for excellence in teaching at Beijing universities. Professor Tang Yingshan from the Faculty of Humanities of the Open University of China (OUC) received the 16th prize, while Professor Wang Zhuo from the OUC Faculty of Science and Engineering received the 4th prize for young teachers.

By OUC News Network