On November 14th 2023, the general opening ceremony of the National Lifelong Learning Activity Week was held in Chongqing.
To effectively implement the directives outlined in the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, specifically the promotion of digitalisation in education and the development of a society and nation committed to lifelong learning, the Ministry of Education is advancing the construction of a robust educational system. This effort is focused on enhancing mechanisms that encourage all citizens to engage in lifelong learning. In this context, the ministry has been conducting a series of activities under the banner of National Lifelong Learning Activity Week. Since its inception in 2005, the National Lifelong Learning Activity Week has been held annually, with 18 sessions to date. These events have successfully motivated a total of 400 million people to participate in various educational training and learning activities. The growing enthusiasm and positive reception for the National Lifelong Learning Activity Week have established it as a key instrument and a distinctive hallmark in the pursuit of building a learning-oriented nation in China.
The National Lifelong Learning Activity Week in 2023, themed “Learning as a Lifestyle”, continues to be strategically planned by the government. This coordination involves a link between central and local governments and is organised by the Ministry of Education, actively engaging the public. The week features a diverse array of activities, including thematic reading and digital reading sharing sessions, online public lectures, and “picks of publishers (editors-in-chief)”. These initiatives aim to promote the concept of “reading for all” in schools, communities, and villages, thereby fostering a positive learning environment and culture for everyone.
177 "Common People Learning Stars" and 174 "Lifelong Learning Brand Projects" have been publicized, actively fostering a conducive social environment for lifelong learning for everyone.
During the Week, the OUC's lifelong learning platform established a "livestreamed open courses" channel, encompassing various fields like science and technology, economics, and culture. The channel, "Thousands of Courses for Community and Senior Education," offers access to 80,000 high-quality micro-courses for sharing. Additionally, a special online learning section themed “National Book Reading in China” was introduced, providing access to over ten thousand electronic books. This initiative significantly enhances open learning resources, catering to the diverse reading needs of all citizens. The section has notably served the lifelong learning community over five million times. Moreover, the public service platform for lifelong learning has also introduced online thematic public lectures, freely accessible as public-service lectures. In total, these online lectures have attracted an audience of 1.3 million learners.
It has been reported that since July 2023, the National Lifelong Learning Activity Week initiative has been launched across the nation. In various locations, Lifelong Learning Week has showcased a diverse array of popular activities, utilizing creative platforms, formats, and methods tailored to each specific local context. This approach has significantly advanced the campaign for lifelong learning for all, making it more effective and influential.
Reprinted from the New Media for Government Affairs of the Ministry of Education by OUC’s WeChat Official Account