To propel the ASEAN-China Digital Education Alliance's efforts to a new level, effectively actualise the national strategy for digitalisation of education - which emphasises integration, intelligence, and internationalisation (known as the 3I strategy) - and to continuously boost the university's global influence, the Secretariat of the ASEAN-China Digital Education Alliance (hereafter, "the Alliance Secretariat") recently welcomed a 29-member delegation from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), led by the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Technical Education Development (SEAMEO TED).
Fan Xianrui, a member of the Party Committee and vice president of the Open University of China (OUC), was present at the event. The participants engaged in productive dialogue on key themes like universal lifelong learning and innovative models for digital education talent development. Over ten faculty members from the Engineering Centre, College of International Education, Experimental College, and School of Agroforestry and Medicine joined the roundtable discussions and site visits.
Fan Xianrui extended a warm welcome to the visiting delegation from ASEAN, highlighting the OUC's commitment to fostering exchanges and collaboration with counterparts in the ASEAN nations. She underlined that the visit would further solidify the profound friendship between the two parties. She pointed out the broad prospects for educational cooperation between the ASEAN countries and China, noting the ASEAN-China Digital Education Alliance as an exemplar of educational openness. She conveyed her hope that both sides would deepen their friendly engagements and dialogues in the future, thereby aiding in the construction of a tighter-knit ASEAN-China community with a shared future.
Designated representatives from the Experimental College, School of Agroforestry and Medicine, and the Engineering Centre outlined their initiatives, including the operational model of the Experimental College, the “One College Student Per Village Programme,” and highlighted advancements such as intelligent video analysis technology, the prototype for an oral training app laboratory, and smart experimental platforms. These introductions were followed by wide-ranging interactions with the delegation members on these topics.
Delegation members also toured various technological showcases at the OUC, including VR laboratories, 5G holographic labs, intelligent calligraphy classrooms, and 5G-enabled smart classrooms, expressing high regard for the OUC's empowerment of educational practices through digital technology.
The ASEAN Training Delegation's visit has significantly enhanced the level of educational exchange between the OUC and the ASEAN nations. This collaboration serves as a vital catalyst for advancing scientific innovation and fostering intercultural understanding. It heralds a new era of abundant opportunities and dynamic development for the educational advancement and prosperity of both China and the ASEAN countries.
Written by Li Jing, Photos by Engineering Centre