Recently, Beijing Open University (Beijing OU), a branch of the Open University of China (OUC), achieved good results in the vocational education competition category in the Beijing regional round of the Sixth China International Internet Plus College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. Two of the projects submitted by Beijing OU were awarded silver prizes and three projects were awarded bronze prizes.

Beijing OU attached great importance to the competition since this is the first time that the branch has participated in the event. The Sixth China International Internet Plus College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition was an important event for all staff, as it gave them the opportunity to study the guiding principles of the National Education Conference and fully implement the important spirit put forward in general secretary Xi Jinping's letter replying to college students participating in the “Red Tour for Youth to Pursue Dreams,” a practical activity held in parallel with the Sixth China International Internet Plus Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. This was also an important occasion to actively implement the guidelines of the documents issued by the Ministry of Education and the OUC. The competition, which is grassroots-based and serves social and economic development, aims to further promote “mass entrepreneurship and innovation” among students.

At the beginning of the event, the university’s leading group conducted a special study on the work plan. A special working group lead by the secretary and president of the university and persons in charge of important functional departments serving as members was set up to guarantee the smooth development of the competition. In addition to mobilising all branches and schools of the OUC system, the OUC also encouraged its teachers and students to closely follow national strategies and use the event as an important platform to show off teaching quality and level. It urged them to study hard and maintain a firm grasp on professional knowledge, and take advantage of the competition to boldly engage in innovation and entrepreneurship and improve their practical abilities.

During the process of competition preparation, Beijing OU actively learned from its peers and organised several expert training events for teachers and students from the system who have produced a number of projects for the competition on the basis of hard study and by integrating social needs, the learning characteristics of students, practical work content, and career development planning. The projects cover a wide range of topics, including smart care and services for older adults, cross-border social e-commerce, personalised clothing customisation, mass art education, and live streaming platform operation. Beijing OU also made efforts to refine the projects and actively provided information services and personalised guidance, which helped students to fully demonstrate their professional qualities, their innovation and entrepreneurship abilities, and their understanding of the times and society we live in.

With the joint efforts of teachers and students of the system, 16 projects were registered on the national college students’ entrepreneurship service network. Among more than 900 projects from 22 vocational colleges in the Beijing, five vocational education-related projects submitted by the Beijing branch were selected for online evaluation. Two of the projects excelled in the competition and qualified for the final of the Beijing regional competition. After the final evaluation, Xipinhui, a project submitted by the School of Supply and Sales of Beijing OU, and “Safety Guardian: Electronic Bracelets to Provide Safety and Health Care for Older Adults” by the Shunyi campus, ranked 31st and 36th respectively. Both projects won silver awards in the Beijing regional competition. Three projects, including “Guangzhi Community Live Broadcast Ecological Centre,” submitted by the New Media Learning Centre directly under Beijing OU, “Weibao Custom Clothes: A New Era for Professional Clothing Customisation” by the Shijingshan branch, and "Cartoon House, Cartoon Bridge: A New Agent for Safeguarding the Rights and Interests of Cartoonists,” won bronze prizes.

By Beijing Branch