On 6 March 2025, Ms. FAN Xianrui, Vice President of the Open University of China (OUC), met with a distinguished group of domestic and international experts to explore new pathways for open education in the AI era.
The delegation included Professor CHEN Guangju, former Vice President of Beijing Normal University (BNU); Dr. Ahmad Izanee Awang, President of the Open University of Malaysia (OUM); Professor Rob Farrow, Senior Researcher Fellow at the Open University, UK (OUUK), and Co-Director of the Global OER Graduate Network; Professor Ching Tan from Athabasca University; Dr. Nantha Kumar Subramaniam, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Technology and Applied Sciences at OUM; and Ms. Shawira Abu Bakar, Deputy Director of the Centre for Teaching Design and Technology at OUM.
Vice President FAN extended a warm welcome to the delegation, highlighting OUC’s innovative initiatives in actively advancing the in-depth integration of education and technology in the AI era. She emphasised the University’s commitment to keeping pace with technological advancements and to making ongoing efforts to explore innovative educational models and provide increasingly high-quality, efficient services to learners.
Professor CHEN Guangju encouraged active participation in joint scientific research from OUC and related institutions, aiming to jointly promote the robust development of open education in the AI era.
Experts from OUUK, OUM, and Athabasca University shared their respective institutions’ innovative approaches and achievements in adapting to educational changes driven by AI. They expressed a keen interest in deepening collaboration with OUC, aiming to create a new landscape for open education through resource sharing and complementary strengths.
The meeting also saw participation from various OUC departments, including the Academic Affairs Department, Department of Digitalisation, Department of Quality Monitoring and Control, Experimental College, Credit Bank, and College of International Education.
Additionally, a Global Dialogue Forum on "Open Universities in the Artificial Intelligence Era: Opportunities and Challenges", hosted by the Smart Learning Institute of BNU, took place in Beijing from 5th to 6th March. The visiting experts were invited speakers at this forum, where OUC Vice President LI Song also delivered a keynote speech titled “Intelligent Digitalization Empowering a Society and Country of Learning: The Practices and Innovations of the Open University of China”.
Contributed by College of International Education
Photos by ZHUGE Huanyu