The Sino-British Fellowship Trust‏‏ project:

Sponsored by the Sino-British Fellowship Trust (SBFT) and the China Scholarship Council (CSC), OUC selects five qualified Chinese scholars annually for research in the UK. The selected academic members, administrative staff and technicians from both OUC and local OUs, particularly those from remote areas, minority ethnic groups and less developed regions undertake research work for around four months in some respective universities in the UK.

Each scholar submits a written report to the Trustees of the Sino-British Fellowship Trust upon the conclusion of their achievement.

Achievement: The achievements of the project are reflected not only in reports and comments on British distance education from the visiting scholars but also in the innovative achievements they have gained since their return to their home institutions. The Collected Work on Practice and Research into Sino-British Distance Education (І) was published in 2002, and the publication of the updated collection is ongoing. The purpose to publish the collected work is not only to demonstrate the achievements from the past decades but also to provide rich background materials for future visiting scholars.

AAOU Staff Exchange Plan:

Some Asian open and distance learning institutions offer short-term (4—8 weeks) visiting fellowships to distance education professionals working in Asian open universities to carry out research projects connected with the promotion and development of distance education.

Achievement: In 2007, Dr. Wang Ying was sent to Prof. G. Ram Reddy Academy of Distance Education (GRADE) and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Open University (Dr. BRAOU) in India, and Mr. Yuan Yaxing has made a short-term study visit to Korea National Open University. They have submitted their reports written on the work done during their visits and presented their findings at their respective visiting universities.