To enhance public scientific literacy and contribute to building a leading country in science and technology, the Open University of China (OUC) organised a series of diverse and content-rich activities from 15 to 25 September, as part of the "2024 National Science Popularisation Day" initiative.
This initiative was in accordance with the unified arrangements by the China Association for Science and Technology, the Central Publicity Department, and the Ministry of Education. The activities, including Academician Lecture Series and short video learning sessions, brought the magic and charm of science to the public.
Academician Lecture Series: A Feast of Scientific Knowledge
During the Academician Lecture Series, the OUC invited renowned academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, including Zhai Mingguo, Hu Haiyan, and Yuan Yaxiang. They delivered ten captivating science popularisation live broadcasts on topics such as "Motion: The Life Code of Earth," "A Ramble on Mathematics," "Miracles from Nature to the Dining Table," and "Understanding Our Universe". The guests explained complex scientific theories in an accessible manner, transforming abstract concepts into concrete practices, and shared their unique insights and predictions on the future of technological development. This allowed the public to learn a wealth of scientific knowledge in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.
The lectures were simultaneously broadcasted on multiple platforms, with playback available on platforms like the Lifelong Education Platform and the Xuexi App. The event sparked widespread enthusiasm among the public, with over 2 million people watching the live broadcasts in real-time and a total reach of 5 million people.
A Hundred-Year Journey: Learning from the Exploratory Spirit of Academicians
At the historical intersection of the "Two Centenary Goals," reflecting on the past, China's scientific and technological endeavours have traversed a century of brilliance, from saving the nation through science, serving the nation through research, to rejuvenating the nation through science and education. China is now steadily advancing towards building a world leader in science and technology. As part of this year's National Science Popularisation Day, the OUC launched the "Life in Science - A Hundred-Year Journey" series of short video learning activities. This series focuses on the scientific lives of academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences who are celebrating their centenary, showcasing their research explorations and scientific contributions across different historical periods and disciplines. The videos were simultaneously released on the OUC's lifelong education official website and new media matrix.
To further stimulate the public’s enthusiasm in the "Life in Science - A Hundred-Year Journey" series, the OUC also launched an online quiz activity during the Science Popularisation Day. Participants could watch the short videos and engage in daily quiz challenges to deepen their understanding of scientific knowledge. The activity received an enthusiastic response from the public, effectively enhancing public scientific literacy through an entertaining and educational approach, with 30,000 participants taking part in the quizzes.
The National Science Popularisation Day series of activities, fully showcased the magic and charm of cutting-edge science through various forms such as live lectures by academicians and short video learning activities. While disseminating scientific knowledge, it also sparked the public's interest and enthusiasm for science. In the future, the OUC will continue to advance its science popularisation efforts for the society, offering richer content and more diverse formats, and becoming an important platform for the public to understand cutting-edge scientific knowledge. This will contribute to building a society and country of learning where lifelong learning is pursued by all.
By Kong Weijia and Zhao Di, OUC