In order to strengthen the construction of a community education teaching team within the organisational system of the Open University of China (OUC), promote the professional development of community educators, and increase cohesion within the system, the OUC held an advanced seminar for backbone community teachers in Beijing. A total of 37 front line backbone community education teachers from OUC branches in Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, and Yunnan participated into the seminar.

The seminar was organised by the OUC External Education and Professional Training Department. The organiser invited several experts in community education to give special lectures, including Zhou Yanjun, executive deputy director of the Research and Training Centre for Community Education of the Ministry of Education; Shen Guanghui, vice president of Fujian RTVU; Tang Kangming, director of the Chengdu RTVU Community Education Centre; Jiang Liangbin, secretary of the Party Committee of Mianyang RTVU; Rong Mei, deputy dean of Beijing Shijingshan Community College; and Chen Dayong, president of the Adult School of Yancun Town, Fangshan District, Beijing. Focusing on the development, status, and issues of the open university (RTVU) community, the seminar combined successful experience and fresh case studies in Beijing, Fujian, and Chengdu to help the learners understand educational concepts at the theoretical and practical level. In addition to lectures and reports, the learners were exposed to different groups so that they could communicate about and discuss community education.

A field trip to Shijingshan Community College was arranged, where deputy dean Rong Mei introduced the status of the College and its successful experience.

The seminar covered the fundamental theories and practice of community education, explanations of macro policy, current development trends, advanced experience exchanges, and field visits. During the four-day study and exchange, the learners said that they not only improved their theoretical understanding but also learned about successful practical experiences from other regions. As a result they enhanced their knowledge, deepened friendships among community education teachers within the OUC organisational system, and increase their confidence in developing community education.

                                                                                                        By Wang Lianxi, OUC