In accordance with the OUC and Tibet University’s agreement to jointly build an OUC School of Xizang during the “12th Five-Year Plan,” the OUC has recently begun developing five courses to assist the School of Xizang.

The five high-quality courses to be jointly developed by the two parties are: Basic Tibetan Language, Tibetan Art Appreciation– Tibetan Dancing, Tibetan Tourism and Geography, Healthcare in Plateau Regions, and Special Aspects of Tibetan History and Culture. Utilizing two previously completed courses as a foundation, Tibetan Fine Arts Appreciation and General Introduction to Tibetan Culture, the two parties plan to soundly build the five new courses as high quality, web-based courses with strong Tibetan features.

Basic Tibetan Language focuses on daily spoken Tibetan and offers learners knowledge in Tibetan communication so as to strengthen communication between different nationalities and enhance national unity. Tibetan Art Appreciation – Tibetan Dancing intends to offer learners a systematic understanding of Tibetan folk dancing and the fundamental theories of appreciation, guiding them in their appreciation of Tibetan dancing. Tibetan Tourism and Geography takes Tibetan tourism as the main thread in introducing the Tibetan landscape, as well as provides relevant knowledge in Tibetan geography. In Healthcare in Plateau Regions, analysis is offered on causes of disease, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and rescue of patients with critical acute and chronic plateau diseases. Tibetan History and Culture focuses on the introduction of Tibetan history and culture in the format of feature films.

The OUC’s Learning Resources Department and School of Xizang expect the courses’ development to be completed in 2017. The courses will be applied through regular instruction at both the School of Xizang and Tibet University, as well as offered to the public as general study courses via the OUC’s online platforms.

By Wang Xiafeng, OUC