Recently, a delegation led by Chen Hongwei, the deputy secretary of the Party Committee of Shandong University, visited the Open University of China (OUC), also known as the Seniors University of China (SUC).

Wang Qiming, the president and Party secretary of the OUC, met with the delegation from Shandong University. The symposium, chaired by Fan Xianrui, a member of the Party Committee and vice president of the OUC, facilitated in-depth discussions between both parties regarding the establishment of the Shandong University branch of the SUC.

Fan Xianrui highlighted the progress in constructing the SUC system. She pointed out that the SUC, guided by the educational philosophy of "virtue, learning, health, happiness, and accomplishment," has capitalized on the strengths of the OUC's educational framework to collaborate with relevant ministries and universities. This collaboration has led to the creation of a multi-tiered system comprising branches, branch schools, joint-construction units, directly affiliated campuses, and research learning bases. By the end of 2023, the system had catered to 22.14 million elderly learners. Fan expressed her belief that Shandong University, with its solid educational foundation and resources, could benefit from and enhance cooperation with the SUC. She hoped both institutions could pioneer new approaches in elderly education by leveraging their respective expertise, faculty, and technologies.

Chen Hongwei highlighted the recent progress of elderly education at Shandong University, including an overview of the curriculum resources available. He pointed out that Shandong University actively aligns with national strategies, having cultivated a wealth of educational resources and professional strengths. Chen expressed a desire for the mutual exchange of teaching materials, collaborative exploration in educational theories, and leveraging each other's strengths to collectively enhance the quality of elderly education. Shandong University is dedicated to utilising its own unique capabilities to improve elderly education, in partnership with the SUC, and is keen on forging a distinct path in elderly education that showcases the unique features of Shandong University.

Chen Hongwei and his delegation also visited the OUC's "Internet+ University" Exhibition Centre and the SUC's exhibition titled "Opening a New Chapter for China’s Elderly Education".

Written by Yan Jun, Liu Yanyan, photos by Zhuge Huanyu, OUC