On 22 December 2021, a two-person delegation led by Ma Bo, vice president of Cerwise Education Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (or CERNET Education) visited the Open University of China (OUC) to discuss provision of international higher education. Wang Yongfeng and Shi Yunzhi of the OUC’s International and Information Technology departments met with the delegation.
Shi Yunzhi introduced the latest initiatives of the OUC relating to international cooperation and exchanges as part of the 13th Five-Year Plan, with emphasis on its endeavours to build overseas learning centres as encouraged by the General Offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, as well as the master’s programme jointly operated by the OUC and the Otto-von-Guericke Business School, Magdeburg. The two sides also shared the latest joint research into “Online Higher Education Provision in China” by the OUC, the International Business Department of the British Embassy in Beijing, and the British Council. The OUC expressed its appreciation to CERNET Education for its participation in the initial stages of the research.
Ma Bo introduced the latest initiatives of the China Education and Research Network (CERNET), CERNET Education, the operations of three bricks-and-mortar colleges it has established in the US, and its online platforms, international degree education, vocational education, entrepreneurship training, and so on. The two sides discussed the model of international degree education, its operations, quality assurance, learner support, and other issues.
Wang Yongfeng said that CERNET Education possesses practical experience in overseas-school operations and international degree education, and that the OUC can learn from it in terms of construction of overseas learning centres, building of platforms for international cooperation, provision of international degree education, enhancement of learner development, and overall internationalisation. Wu Shuping said that the OUC’s “One Route, One Network and One Platform” plan needs a full and accurate overview of what is required in international education.
The two sides expressed a desire for further communication in order to contribute to the educational openness of the new era.
By Dai Jing, OUC