Visiting professor of the Open University (U.K.) Prof. Fred Mulder, UNESCO Chair in OER and former president of Open University of the Netherlands, visited the Open University of China (OUC) from Oct. 24 to 28, 2016. During the visit, President Yang Zhijian and Vice President Zhang Shaogang of the OUC met with Prof.

Mulder for discussions and donated the latest research achievement of the OUC, the World Open Universities Case Study Series, to Prof. Mulder. He gave it high praise and agreed to write a preface for the book series.

Prof. Fred Mulder writing a preface for the book series.

According to Prof. Mulder, as the first global book series concerning a case study on world open universities, World Open Universities Case Study Series has made special contributions to distance education research, enabling readers to gain a deep understanding of the mission of the open universities, the basic situation, organisation structure, education model, and operating system, thus helping them to grasp the generality and diversity of open universities around the globe. He also pointed out that the book series has emphasised the internationalisation of open universities and their importance in the era of digitisation and globalisation. He firmly believes that the book series has deepened understanding and learning.

OUC President Yang Zhijian donates the book series to Prof. Fred Mulder.

During the visit, Prof. Mulder organised many seminars and exchanged views with the R&D personnel and the doctorate students, providing suggestions for their research and encouraging them to actively participate in international cooperation and research activities. Prof. Mulder also gave an academic lecture entitled Mainstreaming Digital Openness (OER, MOOCs, etc.) in All Education Around the World: UNESCO’s Leading and Guiding Role and Future Perspectives for Open Universities.

By Niu Ben, OUC