7. OUC Positively Promotes Construction of an Open University for Older Adults
The Open University for Older Adults’ website (www.lndx.edu.cn) and public WeChat account (Xueletang) were launched in September. According to the spirit of the document “Several Opinions on Accelerating the Development of a Service Industry for Older Adults” by the State Council, the “Guidance on Promoting Education for the Older Adults by the OUC” was completed this year.
Li Defang: Along with the rapid aging of China’s population structure, the business and industry of education and services for older adults faces a series of tough challenges. The Outline advocated the “importance of education for older adults”, while the report of the 18th Party Congress and the decision of the Third Plenary Session of the Sixteenth CPC Central Committee emphasized that we should “positively deal with the aging population and accelerate the construction of a service system and industry for older adults” from the strategic height of building a more equitable and sustainable social security system.
The OUC included itself in the national strategy; expanded its educational services; carried out research and demonstrations; exerted its own existing advantages in running the School of Agroforestry and Medicine; integrated industrial resources from colleges and universities, the Older Adults’ Work Committee and the service units for older adults; and built the “Older Adults Service and Management” major and “Xueletang” online service platform. These important moves not only focus on learner development and team construction for education of the older adults and the professionalization of the service industry, but also lay the foundation of digitization for the education and services for the older adults, which depends on and extends the advantages of the system. At the same time, it has gradually formed a cooperative linkage mechanism between the university, the governments, industrial associations, the aged industries and enterprises. These important reform measures and system innovation will lay a solid foundation for the future healthy and sustainable development of the Open University for Older Adults.
Wang Xunming: The article narrated in detail the OUC’s progress in serving education for older adults, as well as its website and WeChat account, which enhances the service ability of the news and the effectiveness of the information.
8. 2014 State-level Teaching Achievements Prize Announced: Two Teaching Achievements of the OUC Make the List
According to the “MOE’s Decision on Approving 2014 Award Winning Projects of State-level Teaching Achievements”, the OUC’s “Construction and Practice of a Modern Distance Education Public Service System” and “Exploration of the Reform and Development Practice of Vocational Foreign Language Education” won second prize in the 2014 State-Level Teaching Achievement Award for the higher education sector, and in the 2014 State-Level Teaching Achievement Award respectively.
Xue Lisheng: This prize is an appraisal of the OUC’s teaching achievements. It reflects the wisdom of the team and should act as an encouragement for the OUC to bring other colleges and institutions together to positively explore new courses and to take the initiative in innovation. Training needs excellent teachers. Furthermore, it needs a strong curriculum system. The OUC should exert its own advantages, leverage outside resources, and have the courage to break through.
Li Defang: Teaching reform helps guarantee the enhancement of teaching quality and ensure the quality of training. The fact that two teaching achievements have been listed as second prize winners of the 2014 State-Level Teaching Achievement Award proves the positive exploration and excellent practice in promoting innovation and educational reform. These important achievements are also reflected in the OUC’s innovation in terms of serving lifelong learning, satisfying learners’ diverse and individual needs, and promoting the reform of its service mode.
9. Workshop on Deng Xiaoping’s Thoughts on Lifelong Education, the RTVU’s Transformation and Renewal, and the Construction of a Learning Society
A workshop on Deng Xiaoping’s thoughts on lifelong education, the RTVU’s transformation and renewal, and the construction of a learning society was convened on September 22. The workshop was aimed at commemorating Deng Xiaoping’s huge contribution to the educational cause in China, particularly distance and open education, putting into practice the OUC’s historical mission of “improving the people’s livelihood, promoting fairness and enhancing national capacity”, and promoting the RTVU’s transformation and renewal.
Zhang Yi: Since the reform and opening up, the RTVU system has played an irreplaceable role in education. Along with the development of society, the OUC, after its renaming, better conformed to Deng Xiaoping’s thoughts on lifelong learning, and became more closely connected to the demand to construct a learning society as advocated by General Secretary Xi Jinping. Transformation and renewal, enhancing quality and leading the development of lifelong education … The OUC has undertaken a great task and still has a lot to do.
10. Serving Lifelong Learning for All: OUC Plans to Build 252 Cloud Classrooms around the Country in its Second Phase
The Second Phase Co-Construction Work of the Cloud Classroom of the OUC was launched on November 5, 2014. In 2013 the OUC constructed the first 63 Cloud Classrooms on the western frontiers and in the economic developing areas covering over 40 prefecture-level cities of Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Guangxi and Guizhou. The second phase of construction will adopt the method of co-construction by the headquarters and branches, and plans to construct 252 Cloud Classrooms in 22 branches all over China.
Zhang Yi: The second phase of construction of the cloud classroom fully demonstrates the OUC’s strategic thinking and conscious understanding of educational digitization against the backdrop of growing internet use. The deep integration of education and technology includes the intersection of pathways, content and brands. Through distance education, knowledge is passed on to the people. The OUC’s efforts to explore all aspects of changing traditional educational models to meet the demand of lifelong learning have been well-presented in this article.
By Ni Zhongxun