In October 2022, the Open University of China's (OUC) project titled "Fostering Digital Competency, Building Re-Employment Capacity, and Enhancing Well-being for Older Adults in the Digital Economy" was approved by the Budget and Management Committee of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

The project was spearheaded by OUC Vice President Fan Xianrui, who took the lead in driving its implementation. This involved conducting research on the current state of digital competency among older adults in APEC economies, organising workshops on digital competency for younger older adults, and developing relevant micro-credential courses from a global perspective. 

In March 2024, the research report titled "Fostering Digital Competency, Building Re-employment Capacity, and Enhancing Well-being for Younger Older Adults in the Digital Economy" was approved by the APEC Secretariat and its publishing team. This paper, now published on the APEC website, aims to provide insights into the current status of digital competency among younger older adults in the Asia-Pacific region for policymakers, educators, researchers, and practitioners. 

By Hou Songyan, OUC