At 10am on 29 August 2022, Fan Xianrui, a member of the Party Committee and vice president of the Open University of China (OUC), gave the “first class” entitled “Welcome the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and Make Contributions in the New Era” to the students and staff members of the open university system, as well as the general public, via live video broadcast, kicking off the 2022 autumn semester.
Fan Xianrui pointed out that the cause of the Party and the state has made historical achievements and undergone historical changes over the past decade. China’s economic strength has reached a new level. Major historic, holistic, and structural changes have taken place in scientific and technological innovation. Historic achievements have been made in regional development. Remarkable ecological progress has been made. People’s living standards have been improved in all respects. Economic security has been comprehensively enhanced.
Fan Xianrui indicated that it has taken the OUC 10 years to hone its blade, making 10 major breakthroughs. The first is a breakthrough in digital transformation, with the OUC having been awarded the UNESCO Prize for the Use of ICT in Education, the highest award for information technology in education within the UN system. The second is a breakthrough in the construction of the system, seeing all the provincial radio and TV universities renamed. The third is an increasingly clear development pattern, reaching a consensus on the positioning of goals. The fourth is empowering education and teaching with technology. The fifth is improving the educational level of the OUC, which is now entitled to confer bachelor’s degrees. The sixth is working hard by anchoring the “Internet + education” concept, successfully launching a lifelong education platform. The seventh is the construction of an educational “bridge,” with credit bank construction awarded first prize for national teaching achievements. The eighth is the intensification of the research and development of learning resources with several awards honoured in teaching material development. The ninth is rising to prominence in innovation and entrepreneurship competitions. The tenth is putting students first and being approved to establish the Council of OUC Education Foundation.
Fan Xianrui underlined that the OUC has also made substantial progress in key areas and crucial links. The first is continuously strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over the university, and improving the modern university governance system. The second is putting in place the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education and achieving positive results in talent formation. The third is building learning resources with a focus on “usefulness and easy learning” to serve the lifelong learning for all more effectively. The fourth is completing the “One Road, One Network and One Platform”, with initial results made in the digitalisation of education and teaching. The fifth is assisting poverty alleviation by giving play to the OUC’s own strengths. The sixth is being entrusted with the establishment of the National University for Older Adults. At the same time, the OUC has made great efforts to crack down on all kinds of illegal school-running behaviours, which has further purified the school-running environment.
Fan Xianrui pointed out that the OUC will develop a pattern characterised by “one body with two wings,” “two-wheel drive,” “troika,” and “four platforms” in light of the OUC Comprehensive Reform Plan and its future development strategies. The OUC will seek progress while maintaining stability, focus on improving its quality and image, make vigorous advancements in all its work, and dedicate itself to the construction of a learning society where “anyone can learn anywhere anytime.”
Fan Xianrui encouraged the students to move forward hand in hand, work hard, and do what they can to be positive and virtuous OUC people who are dedicated to patriotism and unremitting self-improvement in the new era.
The OUC headquarters, branches, and schools organised their teachers and students to watch “The First Class: Welcome the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and Make Contributions in the New Era” via multiple online platforms, such as the “People's Daily +” Client, the OUC lifelong education platform, the OUC cloud classroom, and the OUC official WeChat. A total of 1.1 million people watched the livestream.
After the class, teachers and students from all over the country exchanged their feelings and experiences. They generally believe that the “first class” demonstrated the strength of online education in enhancing cohesion and boosting morale. It encouraged them to make innovations while maintaining their integrity, move forward bravely, and live up to the times. The teachers of the OUC system said that the “first class” taught them an ideological lesson and moved them deeply, arousing their love for the country, the Party, education, and learning. The students all said that they will strengthen their ideals and beliefs in the spirit of sparing time and energy for learning. They will clarify their learning purpose, master learning methods, apply what they have learned, and integrate knowledge and practice to ensure that excellent results are achieved by the time the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is convened.
By Shen Juan,OUC