On 16th - 17th February , 2017, the OUC held its 2017 Working Conference in Beijing. The OUC’s leadership and mid-level management attended the conference. OUC President Yang Zhijian unveiled the key tasks for 2017.
Participants studied the 13th Five-year Plan for the OUC's Reform and Construction, and discussed the key tasks.
In a combination of the 13th Five-Year Plan and key priorities, OUC President Yang Zhijian stated it was the "last chance" to analyse and deploy key tasks covering themes such as, "How far away from the goal," "Be strong in strength," "Stick to the goal," and "Accomplish key tasks during critical years." He pointed out that 2017 is a critical key year for the OUC to make a breakthrough, and also a key year for deepening comprehensive reforms and accelerating teaching reform. "Accomplishing key tasks during critical years" implies that we should start from the OUC’s overall interests and move forward with coordinated efforts. We should be oriented towards problems; take reform and innovation as a driving force; follow the lead of major projects; and make improving the level of ability, strength, and quality a working goal. He stressed that the top priority work for 2017 includes: first, comprehensively promoting a "school-operating community," exploring, and making innovations to establish a "school-operating community" management model. The OUC must strengthen the functionality of its headquarters, intensify the construction of branches, properly organise regional work, and improve the operational and management capabilities of school branches. Second, make breakthroughs in theoretical and practical explorations of the "Integration of Six Networks," with the key being the formation and integration of six networks. Motivate all students to fully utilise resources for study, and build up the teaching team in an innovative manner. Complete the development of 320 web-based courses, and launch another batch. Third, make improving the satisfaction of users a goal; optimise and improve the network platform, develop a new, compatible, safe, and convenient OUC mobile platform, and make a preliminary realisation of informatisation management. Fourth, spare no efforts in exploring the formation of the OUC's credit bank model. Recognise a number of national vocational qualification certificates and the OUC's related non-degree learning outcomes. Collaborate in constructing the OUC's course accreditation platform. Provide credit-banking services oriented towards middle and higher vocational students, as well as the public. Additional priorities include the construction of a university for the elderly, the elderly base, and the Online Confucius Institute, among others.
The OUC president put forward four working requirements: first, improve the implementation force. He hoped that everyone could spare no efforts in working. Second, each department should develop detailed annual, quarterly, and monthly working plans for the year. Third, implement supervision and motivation mechanisms. Fourth, implement a branch leadership responsibility system.
All participants unanimously agreed that President Yang Zhijian's report illustrated the 13th Five-Year Plan well. He laid out the work for 2017 and pointed out the OUC’s priority tasks. They all expressed that they would study and implement the Plan. They would genuinely go forward with a full heart and fully implement the tasks.
By Wu Yaqi, OUC