On 17 November 2023, the 2023 (22nd) China Distance Education Conference, themed "Education Digitalisation and the Construction of a Learning-Oriented Nation", commenced in Beijing.
Aligning with the national strategy, the conference facilitated discussions and exchanges across multiple dimensions, including top-level design, scientific concepts, and practical exploration. Its primary goal was to advance the development of lifelong learning and online education in China. The focus was on disseminating new educational concepts and achievements, thereby contributing to the digital transformation of education and the building of a learning-oriented nation.
The conference convened leaders from key departments and institutions under the Ministry of Education (MOE), including the Department of Science, Technology, and Informatisation, the Department of Vocational and Adult Education, the Chinese Society of Education, the China Association of Higher Education, and the China Adult Education Association. Notably, it also featured prominent figures from the Open University of China (OUC), such as Wang Qiming, the Party Committee secretary and president; Liu Xuanxuan, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission; and Xu Mingjun, deputy secretary of the Party Committee. The opening ceremony was adeptly hosted by Fan Xianrui, a Party Committee member and vice president of the OUC. The conference saw the participation of nearly 800 esteemed guests from across the nation, representing adult education institutions, the open university system, vocational colleges, and various industrial enterprises.
This conference, under the guidance of the China Association of Higher Education, the Chinese Society of Education, the China Adult Education Association, the China Association for Educational Technology, and the OUC, was organised by the Chinese Journal of Distance Education. It received co-sponsorship from Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd and ChinaEdu, with Qingshu Xuetang and Chaoxing Fanya Group participating as strategic cooperation units. The conference's goal is to explore innovative ideas and initiatives that support the development of a learning-oriented society and nation through the digitalisation of education. This effort holds significant importance in aiding and empowering the journey towards establishing China as a leading country in education.
Wang Qiming, secretary of the Party Committee and president of the OUC, delivered a speech in which he first extended a sincere welcome to all attendees on behalf of the OUC. He emphasised that responding to digital transformation, changing traditional educational concepts and models, reshaping educational forms, and promoting the digitalization of education have become an international consensus in the current context. The Party Central Committee highly values the digitalisation transformation of education and is actively implementing the national strategy for education digitalisation. This shift towards digitalisation in education is a key strategic measure in building a nation that is both a leader in education and a learning-oriented society.
In recent years, the OUC has actively aligned with this international consensus, implementing national strategic actions. The university has set the ambitious goal of “building a digital university that connects the world.” This goal is rooted in the cause of open education and is aimed at proactively embracing change and focusing on innovative development.
He emphasised that in the future, the OUC will concentrate on open education and harness the strengths of China's open education system. This approach aligns closely with the OUC's mission to contribute to making China a leader in education. The university will strive to provide meaningful answers to the pivotal questions of our time regarding open education and the development of a learning-oriented society. By pooling efforts to address these questions, the university will build momentum, enhance collaborative integration and innovation, and expedite its digital transformation. The aim is to create a new ecosystem for open education and establish a fresh paradigm in the field. This involves gathering top-tier educational resources from both domestic and international sources and constructing a contemporary system for lifelong education. Through these initiatives, the OUC aims to make significant contributions to the establishment of China as a leader in education and the advancement of a learning-oriented society and nation.
In her keynote speech on 'Accelerating the Construction of a Digital University to Serve the High-Quality Development of Lifelong Education', Fan Xianrui, a member of the Party Committee and vice president of the OUC, underscored the new phase of education in China, focusing on building a high-quality education system. She emphasised that for a university rooted in information technology, digitalization is the pivotal 'driving wheel' and 'catalyst' in fostering this high-quality development. Fan highlighted that substantial groundwork has been laid for the digital transformation of the open university, with significant progress in leveraging digitalization to enhance educational quality, promote equity, facilitate openness and cooperation, and build the 'Smart Learning Platform'. She outlined the roadmap for establishing a digital university, emphasizing the transformation of core operations through digitalization. This includes integrating digitalization in the fundamental task of moral education, driving educational reforms, enhancing teaching processes, meeting diverse learning needs, and improving the quality and adaptability of open education talent training. Additionally, she stressed the importance of utilizing digitalization to foster comprehensive student development, reform educational evaluation models focusing on student growth, and accelerate the development of lifelong and elderly education platforms with a focus on AI technology. The strategy also involves strengthening technological support and ensuring adequate resources. Fan concluded by envisioning a future of building a digital university that connects the world.
The conference, a hallmark event in the industry, also featured the 2023 Exhibition of New Technologies, Products, and Achievements in Education Digitalisation. This exhibition drew numerous companies eager to showcase their latest accomplishments. It presented an array of advancements in technologies, platforms, and resources, effectively highlighting the most recent industrial achievements in China's online education sector to the assembled representatives.
On 18 November, several sideline activities took place, including the Open University Reform and High-Quality Development Summit Forum, the Summit Forum on the Transformation and Innovation of Higher Continuing Education, the Summit Forum on the Construction of a Modern Vocational Education System and Integration Between Industry and Education, the Summit Forum on Digital Transformation of Education and Technological Empowerment, an Academic Paper Writing Workshop, and site visits.
By Chinese Journal of Distance Education