On your doorstep: A community-integrated learning paradise

Led and guided by the OUOA, the open university system has established 29 provincial universities for older adults (educational institutions for older adults) and set up study centres for education for older adults in nearly 7,000 townships (neighbourhoods) and 50,000 villages (communities). 100,000 offline classes have been launched, serving more than 5.73 million students. In this way, universities for older adults have created a local brand effect.

In October 2015, the OUOA launched its first online-offline integrated calligraphy course at the OUC’s Weigongcun Campus. Since then, courses in traditional Chinese painting, vocal music, dancing, rational use of medicine for older adults, and the psychology of older adults, have been offered. Older adults have been active in entering themselves for these courses, and there was even a rush for the places on offer in some new themed courses, such as English, computer science, and smart phone use.

In 2020, the OUOA re-started enrolment for 22 courses for the first batch of six degree majors for older adults in the 2021 spring semester based on the operational entity of the Weigongcun Campus. Online and offline integration should be explored in combination with efforts inside and outside the open university system to create a demonstration centre for education for older adults characterised by a first-class teaching environment and advanced teaching methods.

In addition, the OUOA carried on a project to provide access to education for older adults in cooperation with Beijing Silver Industry Association and set up the “Seniors’ School,” offering learning support to older people in communities across the city. Based on the “Happy Learning and Respecting the Elderly” joint action, the OUOA oriented all universities for older adults towards making teaching accessible in communities (villages) and townships (neighbourhoods). Positive online courses and on-the-spot lectures were given on science popularisation, healthy life, information technology, and cultural entertainment in order to enrich the spiritual and cultural life of older adults and help them to learn new knowledge and get a new outlook on life.

Compared to six years ago, the OUOA’s degree education system for older adults has basically taken shape. A course system for degree education suitable for older adult learners has been designed using credit-based course modules in line with the learning characteristics of older adults. The course learning has been channeled into credit accumulation and credit transfer. A certificate system, including course certificate, major certificate, and degree certificate, has been designed to meet the diversified learning needs of older adult learners. To date, 221 foundation course resources have been sorted out, 20 majors (orientations) in seven categories have been designed, and professional teachers have been sourced from places inside and outside the open university system and older adult students. 125 outstanding teachers have been selected to build the teacher team and are fully prepared to give learning support to communities and to make the Weigongcun into a demonstration centre for education for older adults.

In 2019, the OUC proposed leading the national exploration of a new model and path for the integrated development of “health care, preservation, learning, and travel” by marrying education for older adults to health, care for older adults, culture, tourism, and other industries, led by “learning,” driven by “travel,” supplemented by “health,” and energised by “care.” As such, older people are able to step out of their homes for sightseeing and offline get-togethers in person instead of meeting online and access their ambitions and happiness.

In 2020, the OUOA planned 15 study tour routes, and meetings were held to energetically promote them. An advanced seminar and a study tour workshop on education for older adults was held to boost the integrated programme of “health care, preservation, learning, and travel” in the open university system. The first batch of study tour bases have been built in Yunnan’s Baoshan City and Fujian’s Nanping City.

In 2021, the OUOA will integrate all of the resources of the open university system. By taking into consideration the practical needs of community education for older adults in China and integrating the practice of courses of education for older adults, the OUOA will promote the study tour project in cooperation with all units inside and outside the open university system to achieve a win-win result in terms of both social benefits and economic returns.