On 16 Dec 2009, a delegation of language experts from New Zealand came to our university for a visit. The delegation was composed of 13 experts. Zhang Shaogang, Deputy Secretary of CPC Committee of the OUC, Li Yawan, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchanges Division, Liang Xiaoqing, Director of the Chinese Language Center of the OUC,

Li Fujia, Deputy Director of the Chinese Language Center, led a team to welcome the delegation. The two sides carried a deep discussion and exchange on the current situation and the future development of the distance education and TCFL. They also shared views on future cooperation in relevant fields.

The members of this delegation came from six universities and language organizations in New Zealand, headed by Axel Llmar Laurs, Project Manager of New Zealand International Language Organization. The delegation visited the Chinese Language Center and Learner Support Center, online distance educational system of the OUC and attended two theme seminars.

A delegation of linguistic experts from universities of New Zealand is having a discussion meeting with some of the leaders from the OUC on Dec 16th 2009.

At one of the seminars, Zhang Shaogang expressed his sincere and warm welcome to the delegation and introduced some featured resources and recent international cooperation projects of the OUC. Li Yawan gave a comprehensive introduction of the development of distance education of the OUC from its history, its characteristics, its core values and its teaching quality insurance system. The visitors thought that the OUC was operated with high efficiency and good management, though the whole system was so big in scale. The openness was clearly demonstrated. The setup of the curriculum was characterized with great variety, which took social needs into consideration, and laid a sound basis for the students' career development. By well combining the different means of media during the process of teaching, the students' vision had been greatly broadened.

Cynthia Joan White, professor of applied linguistics, President of Language Research Institute, Massey University of New Zealand, expressed her wish of a joint research on improving the quality of distance education and increasing students' study motivation with the OUC.

Another Chinese teaching seminar was held in the Chinese Language Center of the OUC. Li Fujia, Deputy Director of the Center presented the guests with their Chinese teaching activities and Chinese teaching products and resources. The wonderful presentation of more than 40 different products of 5 categories aroused great interests of the guests. Questions and discussions were often heard at the seminar.

Axel Llmar Laurs, head of the delegation expressed that after getting to know the rich resources of the Chinese Language Center, he saw great potential of further cooperation and development. He believed that the TCFL resources would be of great help for them to facilitate the Chinese language teaching in New Zealand. The products in the center were affluent and impressive. And he himself also hoped to be able to join the Chinese Summer Camp initiated by the Center. Professor Laurs thought that the visit was really fruitful and he hoped that both sides could make in-depth discussion further on some cooperational issues.

At the end of the seminar, Professor Laurs presented their farewell gifts to the OUC. Then the whole delegation stood up and sang a Maori song to express their best wishes to the OUC.

President Zhang is present at the meeting and sharing views with the delegates.

Rhys Vaughan McDonald, a delegate from the University of Auckland is talking about his impression of this visit to the Open University of China.

The delegation is visiting the production center of the OUC-Online on the afternoon of Dec 16th 2009.

The delegates are listening to the introduction about the Distance Conference Center of the OUC.

Deborah Mary Corder, a delegate from the Auckland University of Technology is asking a question about the Distance Conference Center of the OUC.

Leader of the delegation, Mr. Laurs and his wife are experiencing the teaching in front of a camera in the studio of the Learner Support Center.

 

The delegation is listening to the presentation made by the Deputy Director of the Chinese Language Center of the OUC on the morning of December 16th 2009.

Ms. Li Yawan, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Division of the OUC, is talking with one of the delegates from the New Zealand.

Director of the Chinese Language Center of the OUC, Mr. Liang Xiaoqing is exchanging ideas with the leader of the delegation.

At the tea break during the presentation, Deputy Director Li Fujia of the Chinese Language Center of the OUC and her colleague Ms. Mao Dan, Head of the International Relations Department, are talking with the leader of the delegation.

Delegates are taking photos at the tea break during the visit to the Chinese Language Center of the OUC.