On 29 April 2021, a meeting to promote the transformational development of Wuhan Open University (OU), along with an opening ceremony, was held at Wuhan Convention Centre.
The ceremony was attended by Ju Chuanjin, vice president of the Open University of China (OUC); Chen Honghui, vice mayor of Wuhan Municipal People’s Government; Zhao Zegang, grade II counsel from Hubei Provincial Department of Education; secretary Liu Yi from the Party Committee of Hubei OU; Li Tao, vice secretary-general of Wuhan Municipal People’s Government; and Li Chao, secretary of the Party Committee of Wuhan Municipal Education Bureau. Over 100 representatives witnessed the historic moment of the inauguration of Wuhan OU. The ceremony was presided over by Liu Qianxin, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and president of Wuhan OU.
Leaders inaugurating Wuhan Open University
Li Chao read out The Approval of Hubei Provincial People’s Government on Renaming Wuhan Radio and TV as Wuhan Open University. Ju Chuanjin and Chen Honghui jointly unveiled Wuhan OU.
OUC vice president Ju Chuanjin delivering a speech
Ju Chuanjin pointed out that Wuhan Radio and TV University (RTVU) has continued to adapt to the new requirements of economic and social development as a major force for the construction of a learning city by taking root in the fertile land of the Wuhan for more than 40 years. As a result, the land has produced many outstanding people. The university has kept pace with the new trends of the development of international distance education as a facilitator of education equity; it has seized the new opportunities of the development of information technology to become a leader of educational informatisation; it has shouldered a new mission of historical development as the builder of a lifelong education system for all; and it has clarified the new task of its own development as an explorer of the transformational development of RTVUs. It has stood out among the 44 provincial RTVUs nationwide. In the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, the teachers and students of Wuhan RTVU put themselves at risk and worked side by side, “putting people’s lives first, and demonstrating nationwide solidarity, sacrifice, respect for science, and a sense of mission for humanity.” He hopes that the renamed Wuhan OU will make steady progress in promoting transformational development in line with the requirements of building a high quality educational system. It will implement comprehensive reform, develop the “four platforms,” and put in place the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education. He also hopes that Wuhan OU will take the initiative, make innovations, and strive to build a first-class open university with the characteristics of an outstanding central city.
Grade II Counsel Zhao Zegang from Hubei Provincial Department of Education delivering a speech
Zhao Zegang indicated that generations of the people of Wuhan RTVU have marched forward regardless of hardships. They have followed the concept of “standard, quality, and innovation,” adhered to the educational tenet of “serving local economic and social development,” and built an RTVU with the characteristics of the central city. It leads lifelong education, gives equal priority to degree education and non-degree education, and integrates open education and vocational education. It has become a core part of Hubei’s higher education system and made unique contributions to Hubei's economic and social development. The inauguration of the Wuhan OU signals that the university has entered a new era and embarked on a new journey. Wuhan OU will take guidance from Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, unify its thoughts and actions with the opinions of the Ministry of Education on the comprehensive reform of open universities, and implement the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education in order to forge a new path for the transformational development of open universities in central cities and to serve lifelong learning for all.
Secretary Ma Feng from the Party Committee of Wuhan OU making a keynote speech
Secretary Ma Feng from the Party Committee of Wuhan OU made a keynote speech. He said that a review of the 42 years of history since the establishment of the university shows that the university has remained true to its founding mission of being a “university without walls,” given full play to the advantage of its educational system, and gradually built a cross-district, cross-industry, and cross-enterprise educational system covering the city. Standing at this new higher historical starting point, the university will forge ahead and make use of the favourable situation, work hard to build a first-class national open university, make new contributions to building the lifelong education system in the city, serve high quality economic and social development in Hubei, and build “a learning Wuhan.” To this end, it will make new achievements in building Wuhan into a national central city in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party.
Those attending the opening ceremony also included leaders from the Organisation Department of the CPC Wuhan Municipal Committee, the Office of the Organisational Setup Committee of the CPC Wuhan Municipal Committee, the General Office of Wuhan Municipal People’s Government, Wuhan Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Finance, Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security, Hubei OU, Jianghan University, Wuhan Business University, Wuhan City Polytechnic, and other friendly higher learning institutions, as well responsible people from the university’s branches and study centres, retired leaders, outstanding alumnae, and media, and responsible people from all departments of the university.
About 40 friendly institutions of higher learning and provincial open universities sent congratulatory letters and telegrams to Wuhan OU. Dong Ming, an outstanding alumna, shared her story of hard study and aspiration to serve the people as a witness to and beneficiary and participant of the development of Wuhan OU. She expressed her gratitude to the Party, her hometown, and her alma mater for their concern and support and said that she would make consistent efforts to foster virtue through education in action aiming to be a good teacher with lofty ideals, sound ethics, solid knowledge, and a kind heart.
Outstanding alumna Dong Ming from Wuhan OU delivering a speech
The participants held exchanges and discussions on how to set up a major platform for lifelong education, a major platform for online education, a platform for flexible education, and a platform for external cooperation around the transformational development of open universities.
Wuhan OU organised a meeting to promote the transformational development and its opening ceremony
By Wuhan OU