Changsha Radio & TV University (Changsha RTVU) is a new type of college for adult open and distance continuing-education for municipal and rural areas. Through reform and development, it has become a pioneer among Chinese Radio & TV universities (RTVUs), and a leader among these in Hunan province.

Opportunities, the support of leaders, and its staff’s love of teaching have all contributed to its success. Shen Xingshan, one of these teachers, is a model for many others there.

For twenty years, he has devoted himself with piety, gratitude and diligence to adult education at Changsha RTVU. His now the leader of the IT department, and teaches a computer course.

In 1998, Shen Xingshan was transferred from a large state-owned company to Changsha RTVU to teach and manage full-time junior-college computer classes and secondary technical classes, as well as teach computers to cadres in Changsha. He always took it as his responsibility not only to teach but also to set an example. He worked hard at improving the quality of both teaching and resources. At that time, discipline and motivation were lacking in students. Shen Xingshan, however, was able to communicate with them; he helped them study, became their friend and was even referred to as “Brother Shan.” Students began to show greater interest in their studies, and were effective employees after graduating as a result of his guidance.

In 1999, China Central Radio & TV University (currently known as the Open University of China, or OUC) was approved by the Ministry of Education to pilot learner-development reforms and open education. Changsha RTVU was honoured to be among the first group of municipal RTVUs to take part in this, and Shen Xingshan was active in exploring how to use modern information technology to aid in these reforms. He worked hard to create a campus network and website, build multi-media classrooms and language labs, and construct a three-level platform for open education. As the education of rural college students developed, Shen Xingshan organised a group to make practical teaching plans for them. He has made a fundamental difference to the development of distance education at Changsha RTVU, and has been honoured as a “network construction star”. In April 2006, experts from the Ministry of Education reviewed the reforms at Changsha RTVU, and sang its praises.

Changsha RTVU has created many opportunities, and Shen Xingshan has made it his life’s work. He has presided over or taken part in a number of OUC or RTVU projects, edited a textbook, and published 16 papers in national periodicals.
Shen Xingshan has also won a number of honors, for his teaching (Hunan RTVU) and for his assistance with reforms and open education (Changsha RTVU).

We wish Shen Xingshan the best with his continuing innovations, and Changsha RTVU with its continuing devotion to education!

By Changsha RTVU