On 4 December 2023, a delegation led by Professor LI Kam-cheong, dean of the School of Open Learning at Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU), visited the Open University of China (OUC).

They were warmly received by Wang Qiming, secretary of the Party Committee and president of the OUC, along with Fan Xianrui, a member of the Party Committee and vice president of the OUC. The visit aimed to explore opportunities for enhancing educational collaboration. Representatives from various departments, including the International Department (Chinese Language Centre), Training Centre, OUC Publishing & Media Group, and the Lifelong Education and Research Institution, also participated in this fruitful exchange meeting.

During the visit, Wang Qiming warmly welcomed the delegation from HKMU. He emphasised the solid foundation and bright prospects for collaboration between the two universities. Wang proposed enhancing policy communication and coordination, jointly developing and sharing resources for open and distance education, and driving innovation in this field. He also suggested fostering cultural exchanges and cooperation. Additionally, he recommended exploring collaborative opportunities in interdisciplinary talent cultivation and promoting the "X + AI" learner development model. This initiative is designed to align learners with national strategies and continually improve the quality and efficiency of open and distance education.

The discussions covered a range of cooperative intentions, including the co-organisation of international conferences, joint operation of international academic journals, and collaborative implementation of both degree and non-degree education programmes. Both parties expressed their commitment to strengthening ongoing dialogues and exchanges, deepening practical cooperation, promoting the orderly progression of various tasks, and leveraging overall synergy to contribute to the development of a leading country in education.

The successful exchange meeting has laid a solid foundation for future cooperation between the OUC and HKMU. Both parties have confirmed their intention to use this opportunity to enhance educational collaboration and contribute to the strengthening of China's education sector.

Written by Wang Fei; photographed by Zhuge Huanyu, OUC