In order to thoroughly implement the Comprehensive Reform Plan of the Open University of China (OUC), create a platform for foreign cooperation, and promote the development of international cooperation and exchange, the OUC held the 2020 Seminar on the Internationalisation Strategic Plan, the first of its kind conducted by the OUC leading group for the internationalisation strategic plan, in Hangzhou from 26-27 November 2020. Yang Xiaotang, vice president of the OUC, presided over the seminar.

The seminar mainly discussed the OUC Internationalisation Strategic Plan (2021-2025), highly affirmed the leading and forward-looking content of the strategic plan, and confirmed that the plan pointed out the internationalisation direction for local open universities. The participants of the seminar held a serious discussion and exchanged views on the contents of the strategic plan and put forward constructive suggestions. They affirmed that under the guidance of the OUC, they will make full use of regional advantages to vigorously engage in international exchange and cooperation, help to build a platform for foreign cooperation, and actively serve the national strategy. In addition, the participants analysed the advantages and disadvantages of different programmes based on their unique distinguishing features and expressed their high hopes that members of the OUC system will promote international development in accordance with laws and regulations, gather system strength in the future, exert their full potential, and make joint efforts in international projects.

Yang Xiaotang pointed out that according to Sir John Daniel’s Iron Triangle Framework Theory, the OUC should attach equal importance to scale, quality, and efficiency in its development. The OUC Comprehensive Reform Plan proposes a direction for the future development of the system of open universities, i.e., that all members of the system should work together to construct a platform for foreign cooperation.

Liu Zhanrong, director of the OUC International Department, gave a detailed introduction to the formulation process of the strategic plan. Party secretaries, presidents, and relevant persons in charge of international cooperation and exchange departments of the OUC branches in Heilongjiang, Harbin, Ningbo, Fujian, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xi’an, and Chengdu, and persons responsible for the Reform and Development Department and International Department of OUC, attended the seminar.

Written by Hou Songyan, Photo by Miao Miao, OUC