On the morning of 12th March 2018, the OUC Experimental School held an appointment meeting for the deputy dean of the School. At the meeting, OUC vice president Liu Chen delivered a speech summarising the past achievements of the OUC Experimental School and putting forward requirements for its future development. The abstract of the speech is as follows:

The OUC Experimental School faces a rare opportunity for development. In 2016, Beijing Experimental School was renamed the OUC Experimental School. In the same year, the OUC issued its Opinions on Promoting the Construction of the OUC Experimental School and the Construction Plan of the OUC Experimental School. In 2017, the OUC further clarified the functions of the OUC Experimental School, giving special policy preferences to its development (for example, coordinated development of personnel, finance, and goods; autonomy in the subjects and course construction; coordination of system operation). This reflects that the OUC has imposed clear requirements on the development of the OUC Experimental School, offering the School clear policy support and guarantee and at the same time placing great expectations on the development of the School.

We should be all proud of the achievements made by the OUC Experimental School. The OUC founded the directly affiliated school in April 2001. It was designed to verify the scientific nature of the learner development plan, the effectiveness of the learner development process, and the authenticity of the learner development quality of the CCRTVU. It aims to play an experimental and demonstrative role in resolving problems that arise during the talent development process. As a window through which to demonstrate the operational quality of the school and its learner development features, the OUC Experimental School has achieved significant results in exploring online teaching, the effective integration of degree and non-degree education, the establishment of an integrated flyover for learner development, and pilot programmes for skill and quality training. Over the past 17 years, through the joint efforts of the leaders of the OUC and the whole teaching staff, the OUC Experimental School has achieved significant results in a range of fields, including the development of blended learner, the promotion of distance education in developed and under-developed regions, cooperative school operation with higher education universities, system construction, resource construction, learning support, and informatisation design.

We should improve awareness and clarify the function orientation of the OUC experimental school. The Opinions on Promoting the Construction of the OUC Experimental School clearly states that the guiding principle of school construction should be to take the initiative to meet the strategic demands of the country, industry, enterprises, and the OUC development; make improving quality and brand creation a lifeline; make deepening the reform of the “Six-Network Integration” learner development model the core; make comprehensive innovation the driving force; make the coordinated development of non-degree education and degree education, and the deep integration of information technology and education teaching the strategy; and make the "first try, first trial", dual-track operation, precedence and independence" the principle. We should take the lead in reform and innovation, creating a school with unique school operation, learner development model, technology support model, social service model, and teaching management, as well as operating mechanism. The goal of school construction is to form a distinctive “Six-Network Integration” learner development model (including leading teaching reform, setting up learning organization mode, and operation of teaching team) and form a flat and standard management norm and mode (including the exploration of a learning system, subject and course construction, management innovation, credit accumulation and transfer, and the design of a smart campus) based on Internet Plus. The construction and development of the OUC Experimental School had kept pace with national development and has now entered a new era. The OUC Experimental School should focus on the successful experience of the Network School and the directly affiliated branch schools, and take reference from them. Looking back on the road we have taken, observing the road taken by others, and looking forward towards the upcoming road, we are much clearer about where we come from and where we need to go. In this way, we can accurately identify our problems.

We should seize our opportunity, overcome any difficulties, blaze a new trail, and continue to innovate. As the old saying goes, opportunities are only for the prepared mind. At present, the policy of supporting the development of the OUC Experimental School is clear. Over the past 17 years, the OUC Experimental School has laid a solid foundation and gained a great deal of experience. It is equipped with a complete scientific system and well-run guarantee mechanism. In addition, we have a team of cadres who are passionate about distance open education and share our dream. To this end, the OUC Experimental School should fulfil the requirements of “further emancipating thought, deepening reform, and consolidating work" put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping. We should not only adhere to the existing achievements but also innovate. We should grasp the key points and form an overall trend. We should make scientific designs, continue pushing forward, and become a model for others.

We hope that the leadership, departments, and the whole teaching staff can unite together to create the strongest possible future for all. We hope that the OUC Experimental School can strengthen its management, in particular, refined management. The leadership should engage in refined management, encouraging staff to exercise their roles with great efficiency and for the benefit of all. (Arranged by Yuan Wenwu from the OUC Experimental School based on the speech delivered by OUC vice president Liu Chen, with some contents omitted)

By the OUC Experimental School