An opening ceremony for the China-Germany Master’s Degree Programme, jointly launched by the Open University of China (OUC), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU), and the Beijing International Institute of Asia-Europe Education and Culture (AEEC Institute Beijing), was held on 18 April 2021, a day which also witnessed the unveiling of a related training centre. This centre, to be established at the OUC, will undertake project cooperation.
Yang Xiaotang, OUC vice president; Liu Zhanrong, director of the OUC International Department; Zhang Guorong, member of the former Party Group and head of the Discipline Inspection Team of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS); Zhang Jimin, former executive vice president of the Training Institute of NBS; and Yao Bo, president of the AEEC Institute Beijing, attended the ceremony, which was also attended by teachers in charge of the project and nearly 40 students, both online and offline. The ceremony was presided over by Yao Bo.
Yang Xiaotang analysed current developments both globally and within China in order to give guidance to the future studies and communications of students. He also spoke of the history of founding of the OUC, its system of operations, teaching methods, and use of technology, pointing out that, as an open-access university, it accepts anyone desiring to learn. As a partner in the China-Germany Master’s Degree Programme, the OUC is responsible for teaching four courses to students wishing to pursue further studies in Germany. Yang Xiaotang also spoke of the importance of “learning to learn” and of lifelong learning in our “information age”, encouraging students to never stop learning, to serve the country after graduation, and to contribute to constructing a modern and powerful China.
Zhang Jimin introduced the China-German Master’s Degree Programme as a high-level professional-training project, launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and universities of Germany, and with the approval of the NBS. In the past 20 years, it has cultivated a large number of Economics professionals who provide important services. He also gave an introduction to German education, which is known for its strictness and high standards, and specifically the high levels of instruction offered by the Universität Freiburg and OVGU. Zhang Jimin noted that the OUC started to collaborate with OVGU on master’s-degree education when cooperative education was expanded in the programme in 2020. The OUC has provided students a good point of entry to the programme, and he expressed the hope that they would study hard and become skilled professionals.
Wang Ye, an alumni representative with the project, and a professor at the University of International Business and Economics, shared his experiences studying and living in Germany. He praised the impacts of the German education system on his knowledge, study habits and academic skills, emphasising the value of the experience, and encouraging students to seize the opportunity and study hard.
Liu Zhanrong described the distinguishing features of German universities in order to help students adapt quickly to their teaching methods, and also adopt optimal approaches in terms of their studies and language use. His hope was also that students would live well, master life skills, cultivate positive attitudes, and above all represent China in a way that would reflect well on the country.
In his concluding speech, Zhang Guorong hoped that the students would cherish this opportunity to profit from what education in Germany has to offer, that they would abide by local laws and regulations, and return to serve the motherland well. She also expressed her gratitude to the OUC for bringing new elements to the programme, providing resources, and helping it standardise.
By Chen Na,OUC