On 23 December, the Open University of China (OUC) held a video conference on the final examinations of the 2021 autumn semester.

Li Song, vice president of the OUC, along with Gu Xiaohua, deputy director of the Academic Affairs Department, and personnel from this department and the Experimental School, attended in-person, while over 6,000 personnel from OUC branches (schools) and test centres attended online. The meeting was presided over by Jin Yan, deputy director of the Academic Affairs Department.

Li Song gave a speech emphasising three key points. First, teaching quality and its improvement are the lifeblood of the OUC, relating not only to its development but to its very survival. Second, the reform of assessment and evaluation guides the reform of education as a whole, and should be considered an integral part of it. Third, examination management is an important aspect of school operations, with standardisation and strict rules to be enforced. Li Song stated that "each generation is entrusted with its own mission", and encouraged examination workers to face difficulties and accept responsibilities.

Gu Xiaohua said that three imperatives should be kept in mind: to ensure the Covid-19 infections do not occur; to be well organised and rule-based; and to follow through on reforms of examinations and teaching.

Lu Wenhui, vice president of the Zhejiang Branch, and Liu Chunlong, vice president of the Sichuan Branch, shared their examination experiences online.

Jin Yan summarised the examination work for the 2021 spring semester, and laid out in detail the arrangements for autumn.

By Jia Jia, OUC