On 5 December 2024, the Publicity Department of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) announced the results of the 14th "Book-Friendly China- Beijing Reading Season" series of evaluations.
Following a rigorous selection process that included self-nomination, expert assessment, and on-site inspections, the Open University of China (OUC) was honoured as an "Advanced Unit for Building a Book-Friendly Institution" in Beijing. The OUC joins the ranks of ten distinguished institutions, including the National Centre for the Performing Arts, in receiving this prestigious recognition.
In recent years, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the OUC has implemented the important deployment of the 20th National Congress of the CPC to deepen nationwide reading initiatives. The OUC has been committed to fostering moral education and cultural development, while persistently enhancing the establishment of a learning-centric institution. The OUC has organised online and offline activities such as World Book Day events, reading sharing sessions, good book recommendations, co-reading activities for the young and the old, and "Red Reading for Party Members" for its headquarters and educational system, thereby establishing the "OUC Reading Initiative" brand. To date, the university’s library boasts a collection of 100,000 physical books, 1.26 million e-books, 15,000 e-journals, and 17,000 hours of audio and video learning resources. This has culminated in the creation of an intelligent learning platform designed to cater to the diverse learning needs of various groups. It provides intelligent library services to 20 million learners, advocating for the vision of "learning for all, anytime and anywhere."
The OUC’s library, serving as a pivotal hub for cultural communication and the construction of spiritual civilisation, will seize this accolade as a springboard to further refine its resource development, reader services, reading promotion, and subject-specific support. The library is committed to bolstering the guiding influence of the university's nationwide reading initiatives, elevating the standard of services, expanding the scope of service offerings, and innovating service models. These efforts are aimed at propelling the high-quality growth of the institution and contributing to the establishment of a ubiquitous and accessible lifelong education system.
Written by Mu Ying, photo by Zhuge Huanyu, OUC