Recently, the Open University of China (OUC) organised a kick-off meeting for the "Pilot Project of the Integration of Industry and Education and Collaborative Talent Cultivation Centre" for computer science and technology majors.
The project is led by the Experimental School. Attendees included Wang Guochuan, director of the OUC's Department of Reform and Development, Office of Research; Sun Hongfei, dean of the Experimental School; Li Zhixiang and Zhang Tong, vice deans of the Experimental School; Sun Caiyao, dean of Xinhua Education Group Research Institute; along with five expert reviewers from renowned universities and enterprises, and project team members.
The purpose of this meeting was to implement the OUC's "Eight Major Projects" and the "Demonstration Project for Integration of Industry and Education and Collaborative Talent Cultivation Centre." It aimed to initiate and evaluate the pilot project undertaken by the Experimental School, with the goal of promoting systematic innovation in the integration of industry and education within open education. The project seeks to enhance offline and practical teaching components, improve the quality of talent cultivation and student learning outcomes, and better prepare high-quality, application-oriented professionals who meet societal needs.
Wang Guochuan discussed the background, pathways, and objectives of the "Pilot Project of the Integration of Industry and Education and Collaborative Talent Cultivation Centre," highlighting its significance for the high-quality development of the OUC. He outlined the project's goals, which aim to promote collaborative talent cultivation, strengthen the teaching team, and set a demonstration effect. He emphasised the importance of school-enterprise cooperation, advocating for multi-party participation, and enhancing practical teaching components during the project's implementation. Wang Guochuan suggested that the project could focus on five key areas: fully utilizing the resources of the national education resource libraries, emphasising the training and development of the teaching team, providing personalised learning support services, conducting thorough research and drawing on the experiences and outcomes of similar projects, and encouraging co-construction enterprises to increase funding and resource investment.
Sun Hongfei presented the construction plan, detailing the project's objectives, content, implementation pathways, timeline, and expected outcomes. He stated that the Experimental School would engage in deep school-enterprise cooperation to jointly explore new models of talent cultivation and enhance the quality and standards of education and teaching.
Sun Caiyao outlined the background and previous accomplishments of Xinhua Education Group, as well as their strategic approach to the project. He emphasised that as a collaborating construction partner, Xinhua Education Group will fully utilize its capabilities, actively engage in the project's development, and foster deep school-enterprise cooperation.
The expert panel, comprising Professor Yan Shaoze from Tsinghua University, Professor Rong Wenge from Beihang University, Professor Huang Jianqing from the University of International Business and Economics, Associate Professor Zhou Qinghui from Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, and Researcher Ren Jianan from Beijing iFlytek Education and Technology Co., Ltd., conducted an in-depth review. They evaluated the rationality and feasibility of the project's goals, content, plan, funding, and expected outcomes, considering its background and characteristics. The panel recognised the project's innovation and foresight while also pointing out current challenges and deficiencies. They provided targeted recommendations based on thorough feasibility analyses, offering effective guidance for the project's further advancement.
This review meeting marks the official launch of the "Pilot Project for the Integration of Industry and Education and Collaborative Talent Cultivation Centre," spearheaded by the Experimental School. Moving forward, the Experimental School will work in partnership with Xinhua Education Group and various industry partners to implement the project, aiming to establish a high-quality demonstration project. Together, they will explore new avenues for integrating industry and education and will leverage their collective expertise to innovate the open education model for cultivating application-oriented professionals.
Written by Cao Shanshan, Chen Min, photos by Cao Shanshan, OUC