On 20 March 2024, the unveiling ceremony of the Shandong University branch school of the Seniors University of China (SUC) and the thematic round-table meeting on continuing education work at Shandong University took place at the central campus of Shandong University.
Wang Qiming, secretary of the Party Committee and president of the Open University of China (OUC, also known as the Seniors University of China, SUC); Fan Xianrui, a member of the Party Committee and vice president of the OUC; along with Secretary Ren Youqun and Deputy Secretary Chen Hongwei of the Party Committee of Shandong University, attended the ceremony. Chen Hongwei presided over the unveiling ceremony.
Wang Qiming expressed congratulations on the establishment of the Shandong University branch school at SUC and extended sincere gratitude towards Shandong University for its longstanding support and care for the construction and development of SUC. At the unveiling ceremony, Wang Qiming detailed the efforts undertaken by SUC since its inception, highlighting the leveraging of the entire education system's strength, pooling societal resources, and harnessing digitalisation to enhance SUC's work and achievements. Regarding the future development of SUC's Shandong University branch school, he outlined three aspirations: the first is to jointly contribute to the creation of high-quality courses and expand the supply of elderly education resources; the second is to share the National Education Platform for the Elderly and explore the establishment of a new type of university for seniors; the third is to discuss collaborative work mechanisms and promote the high-quality development of elderly education.
Ren Youqun expressed gratitude to the OUC (also known as SUC) for its support of the SUC’s Shandong University branch school. He highlighted that the elderly are an invaluable asset to the country and society. Establishing the SUC’s Shandong University branch school is a tangible action to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's significant expositions on education and the important instructions and directives concerning ageing work. Regarding the future endeavours of the SUC’s Shandong University branch school, Ren Youqun made three requests. The first is to ensure high-quality performance in all facets of the seniors university, actively forge a new developmental pattern for seniors universities in this new era, and provide flexible, convenient, and accessible education services for the elderly. The second is to encourage the sharing and joint contribution of educational resources, fully leveraging the public service platforms of the seniors university to offer high-quality courses from Shandong University. The third request is to enhance synergistic cooperation with seniors universities in Shandong Province and jointly make new and significant contributions to elderly education in the new era and the comprehensive advancement of leading the country on a Chinese path to modernization.
At the unveiling ceremony, Wang Qiming and Ren Youqun unveiled the plaque for the SUC’s Shandong University branch school together.
During the thematic round-table discussion on continuing education at Shandong University, Liu Chao, dean of the School of Continuing Education, provided a comprehensive overview of both the School and the University for Seniors. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions and exchanges on topics including the high-quality development of education for the elderly, educators for the silver generation, the development of resources for elderly education, and the design of a competence and educational enhancement programme for nationally licensed pharmacists.
Key representatives from the Open University of China (SUC), including members from the Party Committee Office, President's Office, Retired Personnel Office, School of Continuing Education, and School of Pharmacy at Shandong University, were present at the unveiling ceremony and participated in the round-table meeting.
By Liu Tengfei, OUC