Beijing, 26 June 2025 - The Ministry of Education (MOE), in collaboration with relevant departments, hosted a thematic activity on “Digital Empowerment for the Construction of a Learning Society” at the Open University of China (OUC).
The event was held in a bid to thoroughly implement General Secretary XI Jinping’s important instructions on the construction of a learning society and the Master Plan on Building China into a Leading Country in Education. It aims to transform the blueprint for the construction of a learning society into actionable task books and detailed construction drawings, and to effectively implement the pilot tasks of the Three-Year Action Plan to a high standard. HUAI Jinpeng, Secretary of CPC Leading Group and Minister of MOE, attended the event and delivered a speech.
HUAI Jinpeng underscored that the construction of a learning society represents a momentous decision and strategic deployment by the CPC Central Committee. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary XI Jinping has delivered a series of important speeches and issued a series of crucial instructions on the construction of a learning society. These have illuminated the path forward and provided the fundamental basis for its progress. The 20th CPC National Congress explicitly proposed to promote the digitalisation of education and to build a society and country of learning where lifelong learning is pursued by all. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC has incorporated the construction of a learning society as a vital component of the comprehensive reform of education. The Master Plan on Building China into a Leading Country in Education has listed the “construction of a ubiquitous lifelong education system” as one of the eight major systems and has made systematic arrangements. It is imperative to deeply study and comprehend General Secretary XI Jinping’s important discourses on education and his significant instructions on the construction of a learning society. We, as educators, should establish a scientific view of education, meticulously plan and promote the construction of a learning society, and drive educational activities towards more flexible and extensive self-learning and lifelong learning. By doing so, we will ensure that education accompanies every individual throughout their life.
HUAI emphasised the necessity to profoundly comprehend the general trend of world development, especially the trend of technological revolution and industrial transformation. Moreover, we should see the urgent demands that the construction of a learning society faces in the context of social transformation and development, the comprehensive improvement of the quality of the population, and the active response to population ageing. The rapid updating of knowledge presents a historical opportunity, while the transformation of digital technology and educational tools offers the supporting conditions. MOE has adopted the digitalisation of education as a crucial means to advance the construction of a learning society. It has continuously refined the lifelong education system and enhanced the supply of high-quality resources and platform construction to establish the Smart Education of China Platform, and the “Double Thousand” Plan for Enhancing Employment Competence of College Graduates has been implemented. These actions have provided rich resources for learning, employment, vocational skill improvement, family education, and other areas. In addition, policy and institutional guarantees have been strengthened; a national credit bank for vocational education has been established, and lifelong learning and the construction of a learning society have been promoted through institutional development. These efforts aim to make lifelong learning a habit and consensus throughout society. The construction of a lifelong learning network has also been committed to, connecting the national, provincial, municipal, county, and school levels to accelerate the development of a learning society where everyone can learn whenever and wherever they want to.
HUAI called for a focus on the key points of the construction of a learning society. Taking the reform pilot of the Three-Year Action Plan as an opportunity, it is crucial to seize the trend of intelligent development and actively promote the deep integration of artificial intelligence and lifelong education. This will expedite the construction of a ubiquitous lifelong education system. First and foremost, it is essential to fortify the Smart Education of China ∙ Lifelong Education Platform, further amass abundant lifelong learning resources, and consolidate the digital foundation of lifelong education. The platform should leverage digital intelligence to empower precise profiling, providing learning resources that meet individual needs and achieving an organic integration of “I want to learn” and “learn what I want.” It should also enable learners to become contributors of high-quality resources, realising the concept of “learning from each other and making progress together,” and exploring more flexible and diverse new paradigms of a learning society. Secondly, it is important to improve policies, systems, and effective mechanisms, and to perfect the national, local, and industry credit bank system. By uniting the efforts of various departments, a social learning system that combines the vertical, organised, and systematic classroom learning with the horizontal, open, and boundaryless lifelong self-directed learning can be established. Thirdly, a strong atmosphere and environment for lifelong learning should be created. By utilising big data and artificial intelligence to analyse the learning needs of learners from different industries, regions, and individual growth stages, new learning scenarios can be enriched. Strengthening publicity and promotion will make lifelong learning a daily habit and lifestyle for everyone, serving a high-quality life. It is also necessary to promote the mutual progress of school education, family education, and social education, and to build a new type of learning society facing the future, shaping a new ecosystem of lifelong learning. Moreover, it is essential to strengthen international exchanges and open cooperation, both to draw on the beneficial experiences of the world to promote the construction of China’s lifelong learning system and to contribute Chinese practices and experiences to the world.
WU Yan, a member of the CPC Leading Group and Vice Minister of MOE, announced the launch of the high-quality lifelong learning resource sharing action. WANG Guangyan, a member of the CPC Leading Group and Vice Minister of MOE, presided over the event. The pilot work of digital empowerment for the construction of a learning society was also launched; at the same time, the resources release and functional upgrade of the Smart Education of China ∙ Lifelong Education Platform were announced. OUC, the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province, Wuhan Municipal Education Bureau, Jiulongpo District of Chongqing, Nanjing University, and Changsha Social Work College made exchange speeches. Prior to the event, the guests visited the exhibition of phased achievements in the construction of a learning society. The event was held in a combination of online and offline formats.
Source: Morning News of CCTV13 and WeChat Official Account of MOE Administrative New Media