On 13 September 2024, the Open University of China (OUC) held an expanded meeting of the central group for theoretical study of the Party Committee to deeply understand and implement the guiding principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at the National Conference on Education.
This meeting discussed the deployment of efforts to rapidly promote and implement the conference's guiding principles. Wang Qiming, secretary of the Party Committee and president of the OUC, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. The meeting was chaired by Li Song, a member of the Party Committee and vice president of the OUC.
Wang Qiming attended the meeting and delivered a speech.
Li Song chaired the meeting.
Wang Qiming pointed out that the National Conference on Education is a significant meeting that mobilises and deploys efforts to accelerate the progress of building a leading country in education in the new era and new journey. It holds a milestone significance in the history of China's educational development. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, from the strategic height of the overall development of the Party and the nation, comprehensively summarises the historic achievements and structural changes in education cause in the new era. It systematically explains the scientific meaning and basic paths of building a leading country in education, profoundly elaborates on the major relationships that need to be correctly handled in the process, and systematically deploys the strategic tasks and major measures to fully advance the development of a leading country in education. This speech serves as a guiding document for educational work in the new era and new journey, pointing out the direction and providing fundamental guidelines for building a leading country in education.
Wang Qiming emphasised that studying, publicising, and implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech and the guiding principles of the National Conference on Education is a significant political task for the OUC at present and in the forthcoming period. All departments must earnestly shoulder their political responsibilities, act swiftly, and comprehensively and accurately study, publicise, and implement the conference's guiding principles, quickly aligning thoughts and actions with General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech and the conference's guiding principles.
Firstly, it is essential to raise political stance and deeply understand and grasp the significance of the conference. It is necessary to unwaveringly follow the path of education development in socialism with Chinese characteristics, deeply grasp the scientific meaning of building a leading country in education, correctly handle major relationships in building a leading country in education, and fully implement the strategic tasks of building a leading country in education, ensuring the solid implementation of major measures.
Secondly, there must be comprehensive coverage to swiftly create a trend of learning, publicising, and implementing the conference's guiding principles. Various methods should be adopted to quickly convey the conference's guiding principles, especially General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech and the deployment requirements of the Leading Party Group of the Ministry of Education, to every faculty and staff member. Discussions and exchanges should be held among all staff to combine the study of the collection of articles by General Secretary Xi Jinping "On Education" with his important speech at the National Conference on Education, leading and driving the implementation of actions through in-depth ideological exchanges. Efforts should be made to organise thorough publicity and interpretation, creating a strong atmosphere of learning, thinking, and practicing.
Thirdly, focusing on "OUC’s Role", it is crucial to fully implement the conference's guiding principles. It is necessary to further unify thoughts, build consensus, accurately grasp the requirements of the times, strive to build an accessible and ubiquitous lifelong education system, as well as empower lifelong learning with digital technology, so as to serve the development of a learning society and country. Systematic planning and rigorous implementation are necessary to advance the OUC's reform and development plan for the "14th Five-Year Plan" period. Based on deep understanding and thorough comprehension, pragmatic reform and development measures should be proposed, a three-year action plan and the "15th Five-Year Plan" for development should be researched and formulated, and efforts should be made to continuously deepen the creation of high-quality open education, strengthen the development of the Seniors University of China (SUC), and explore the establishment of a digital university.
Members of the OUC's leadership team, all middle-level cadres, heads of university-run enterprises, and faculty members with senior professional titles attended the meeting.
Written by Xie Yun, photos by Zhuge Huanyu, OUC