To thoroughly implement the directive from the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to "Intensify the promotion of standard spoken and written Chinese language," the Open University of China (OUC) launched a training programme on 23 July 2024, specifically designed for public service workers in Shandong Province.

The training programme was guided by the Department of Language Information Management of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and was strongly supported by Shandong Radio and TV Station. The opening ceremony was attended by Xu Mingjun, deputy secretary of the Party Committee of the OUC; Pan Yong, chairman of Bell&Horn Education and Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.; and Cao Baoying, deputy secretary of the Party Working Committee of Zaozhuang High-tech Zone.

Xu Mingjun highlighted that the public service sector is a vital pillar for the smooth functioning of society. The proficiency of public service workers in applying  standard spoken and written Chinese language directly affects the public's service experience and their satisfaction with the sector. Cultivating the awareness of standard language norms among public service workers not only fulfils the national call but also contributes to creating a more civilised, harmonious, and orderly social environment.

The OUC has tailored the course content specifically for this training programme, covering various aspects such as policy theory, standard norms, and capacity enhancement, with both theoretical depth and practical significance. Additionally, the OUC has assembled a top-tier teaching team to ensure the effectiveness of the training.

Written by Li Yan, photos by Song Chengkun, OUC