On 8 May, 2018, the Faculty of Economics and Management of the Open University of China (OUC) held a video meeting on arranging for students to attend the national tax-skills competition. Li Linjun, vice president and secretary-general of the China Certified Tax Agents Association, Liu Chen, vice president of the OUC, and Huang Hongbin, director of the Examination Department of the China Certified Tax Agents Association, attended the meeting.

The 8th National Tax Knowledge Competition, sponsored by the China Certified Tax Agents Association, aims to help carry out the kind of large-scale vocational training proposed by the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and promote learning through competition, disseminate information about taxation and finances, optimise the business environment, and promote the development of the economy and the employment and self-employment of college students. As a co-organiser, the OUC will arrange for students to take part in this competition in order to supplement the education of Economics and Management majors, boost the integration of teaching and industry, strengthen students’ practical abilities and improve the practical instruction for these students.

Liu Chen pointed out that each branch should attach great importance to this competition, since it is a concrete embodiment of the national policy related to the integration of teaching and industry, the cooperation between schools and enterprises, and also the in-depth cooperation of the OUC and the China Certified Tax Agents Association resulting from a strategic cooperation agreement signed between the two sides, which is of essential significance to promoting the OUC’s teaching reforms in key majors and improving the practical abilities of students. He also pointed out that this is the first time that the OUC has organised students to participate in a national competition where the effectiveness of its teaching will be demonstrated, and that therefore serious efforts should be made by the OUC headquarters and its branches and study centres nationwide to enable teaching quality to be enhanced through the competition.

This meeting was presided over by Liu Zhimin, director of the Faculty of Economics and Management. Cai Yunjiao, deputy director of the faculty, introduced the plan for implementing the competition, and branch leaders responsible for teaching as well as teachers from the headquarters attended the meeting.

By Hou Lixin, OUC