On 29th March 2018, Yang Zhijian, president of the Open University of China (OUC), was elected by the OUC Bayi School, with the approval of the OUC’s official approval (OUC Official Document 2018 No. 1), to undertake the position of council director of the OUC Bayi School.

The OUC Bayi School, established by the functional department of the military commission and the OUC, is a special school dedicated to carrying out distance education for military personnel. It is a “Bayi Project” initiated jointly by the military and civilian organisations. The OUC Bayi School council was founded in order to adapt to the development demands of distance education for military personnel, as well as to strengthen the connection and cooperation between the military and the local governments. This is intended to enhance the school’s ability to serve the military, which functions as an essential organisational format and institutional platform to realise scientific decision making, consulting, and democratic monitoring. The council consists of relevant personnel from military units, operating units, the OUC Bayi School, representatives from donating units, and experts and scholars. It is responsible for strategic planning and design, the fundamental system of education and teaching, major reformation and development items, and important personnel changes. The council is comprised of one director, one deputy director, and a number of standing trustees and council members.

Zhang Yichen, dean of the OUC Bayi School, said that president Yang Zhijian’s appointment as council director demonstrates the high-level importance attached by the OUC to distance education for military personnel. It will strengthen the guidance and management of distance education for military personnel, improve the joint management and education mechanism of the military and local sides, and play a positive role in promoting the rapid, healthy, and comprehensive development of the school.

By Zhang Leibin, OUC Bayi School