Under the guidance of leaders at all levels of the Open University of China (OUC), and through the joint efforts of all OUC branches, departments, and other units, the final examinations for the 2021 spring semester were implemented in a smooth and orderly manner. They included a national unified examination and 10 and 11 July, and online examinations from 14 May to 11 July.

6.71 million applicants from 44 OUC branches, 15 schools, and 3,311 test centres registered for the national unified examination, with 4,593,374 students actually taking it. The online examination was offered on two platforms, the "OUC Network-summative Examination System" and the "Single-platform Examination System". 45 OUC branches and 12 schools registered in the former, with 2,552,467 examinees (out of 3,050,993 applicants) taking examinations at 807 test sites, while the latter attracted 105,247 applicants and 31,974 examinees from 36 branches, with examinations taking place at 750 test centres. The leaders of the OUC headquarters and OUC branches (colleges) attached great importance to the examinations, and gave instructions at the front lines. The OUC-headquarters Examination Centre sent 19 teams to test centres around the country for on-the-spot inspections, and OUC branches established special examination work groups, and also organised inspections. Cao Guoyong, executive deputy secretary of the OUC Party Committee, personally inspected the OUC Examination Centre and Test Centre of the Experimental School in Wukesong, while Yang Xiaotang, OUC vice president, led a team to Inner Mongolia for an inspection. Every OUC-branch leader led inspections of test centres in his or her jurisdiction.

OUC units at all levels followed the requirements of the university by holding meetings on implementing the examination, proctoring, and potential emergencies, and planned for these in order to maintain standards and safeguard the university’s reputation. Covid-19 protocols were also followed, with emergency measures implemented in Guangdong Province due to an outbreak there; these included timely updates to OUC headquarters and an extension of online examinations. To ensure smooth implementation of the national unified examination, OUC branches issued an emergency-response plan, and set up isolation examination rooms to deal with another possible outbreak.

Examinees were also helped to cope with the summer heat. For example, some OUC branches, including Ningbo, prepared drinks, provided special rest-rooms, and equipped some examination rooms with air conditioning. A number of branches also offered child-care. When a heavy rain in eastern Sichuan led to flooding in Bazhong, Dazhou, and other areas, the OUC’s Sichuan Branch implemented its emergency plan to ensure the examinations could proceed safely, with the School for the Disabled particularly vigilant in its provision of services.

By Jia Jia, OUC