31 December 2025 – The Open University of China (OUC) held a meeting preparing for the enrolment work for 2026 spring semester. LI Song, Vice President of the OUC, attended the event and delivered a speech. GU Xiaohua, Director of the Academic Affairs Department, presided over the event.

LI Song emphasised that, as outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan, China must "thoroughly implement the digital education strategy and optimise public services for lifelong learning". As a backbone of the lifelong education system and an important vehicle for building a learning society, open education bears a more glorious mission and greater responsibility. In this regard, he put forward three requirements:

First, to provide customised teaching according to learner’s needs and build distinctive "project-based" enrolment programmes into a brand. All units within the OUC system should closely align with the country's major strategies, respond to the needs of local economic and social development, proactively deepen cooperation with local governments, industries, enterprises and other parties, and create targeted and distinctive talent training programmes.

Second, to strengthen the depth and precision of enrolment outreach. The university's promotion should reflect the national strategic importance of open education in advancing educational equity, improving national quality, and advancing lifelong learning, and fully reflect the educational advantages and characteristics of "Learning for all, anytime, anywhere".

Third, to ensure standardisation and build a new pattern of high-quality enrolment. Standardisation and quality must remain top priorities to build a robust foundation for the high-quality development of open education.

GAO Yuanyuan, Deputy Director of the Academic Affairs Department, summarised the enrolment work for the autumn semester of 2025, pointed out the existing problems, and outlined plans for the spring semester of 2026. The event was held online and onsite. Relevant personnel from the Academic Affairs Department of the Headquarters in charge of enrolment work attended in person, while heads in charge of enrolment work and relevant staff from all branches (colleges), affiliated branch schools and learning centres participated online.

This event pooled the consensus of the entire system to serve the lifelong learning of all people and promote the higher-quality development of open education, and pointed out clear direction for the subsequent enrolment work.

By Academic Affairs Department

Photo by ZHANG Jun