I. Basic Information
The Lifelong Education Research Institute of the Open University of China (OUC) is China’s earliest research and management institution on distance education.
Known as the Research Office of Distance Education in 1985, it was renamed as the Scientific Research Institute of Distance Education in 1992, the Research Institute (Research Department) of Modern Open and Distance Education in 2002, the Education Research Institute (Research Management Department) in 2014, the Education Research Institute in 2018, and the Lifelong Education Research Institute in 2020. As of the beginning of 2019, the institute has eight research divisions, eight research centres, and one comprehensive administrative office under its jurisdiction.
The institute currently has 12 faculty and staff members, including 10 full-time researchers (among whom 3 have senior professional titles, 5 have deputy senior professional titles, and 7 have doctoral degrees) In addition, there are more than 20 senior consultants and more than 20 specially-appointed researchers.
Du Ruo currently acts as the director of the institute.
II. Functions
1. Carry out theoretical research, comparative research, and project research related to lifelong education.
2. Develop academic exchange, cooperation, and consultation services.
3. Be responsible for the overall coordination and management of relevant research centres.
4. Be responsible for the work of the Secretariat of the Academic Committee.
5.Complete other tasks assigned by the university.
III. Organisational Structure
Vision: To become a high-level think-tank for research on open education, lifelong education and the construction of a learning society.
Mission: Be committed to providing intellectual support for the high- quality development of the OUC (Seniors University of China).
Values: Research must be carried out into action, and action must lead to results.
Responsibility: Build an open and diverse research team with interdisciplinary integration, establish an academic exchange platform and shape an academic brand.
Structure: In order to adapt to the new demands and situations of the development of the OUC, the institute has formed a new organisational structure and an open-research team, initially forming a hierarchical layout of "1 institute, 8 divisions, and N centres".
Department Setup (to be updated):
Theory and Policy Division
School-Running Institutions and Management Division
International and Comparative Education Division
Teacher Development Division
Education Quality Assurance Division
Course and Teaching Division
Learning Science and Technology Division
Resources and Services Division
Comprehensive Administrative Office
Units Cooperating with the Lifelong Education Research Institute:
Beijing Normal University
East China Normal University
Beijing Foreign Studies University
Southwest University
Ningbo University
Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University
International organisations related to the Lifelong Education Research Institute include:
Asian Association of Open Universities
International Council for Open and Distance Education
European Distance and E-Learning Network
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)