Editor’s note: Along with the opening in Beijing of the fifth session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) on 5 March 2022, and the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on 4 March 2022, the OUC will keep its tradition of publicising “Two Sessions Deputies and Members from the OUC”, reporting on leaders, teachers, students or alumni who are also deputies and members of the two sessions, and aiming to enhance the image of the OUC while encouraging its teachers and students to work together toward the reform and development of open education.
On the afternoon of 3 March 2022, the torch relay for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games was held in Beijing. Zhu Shijie, the chief technician for the Ningbo Zhoushan port, an outstanding OUC alumnus, and winner of such honours as “Craftsman of the Year” and “National Model Worker”, participated as one of the torch bearers.
On 9 March 2022, the signing of a strategic agreement between the Open University of China (OUC) and Beijing Jiaotong University (BJU) took place, promising cooperation in teaching and research, development of academic disciplines, and graduate studies by sharing resources and seeking collaborative innovation of teaching approaches. OUC president Jing Degang and BJU president Wang Jiaqiong signed the agreement on behalf of their universities, while Cao Guoyong, OUC executive deputy secretary, presided over the ceremony.
On 24 February 2022, the Open University of China (OUC) held its 2022 Work Conference to study and implement the guiding principles of the National Educational Work Conference and the key points of work of the Ministry of Education (MOE) in 2022, and deployed the OUC’s key tasks in 2022.
The State Council issued guidelines for promoting services to the elderly during the period of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) as a national response to an ageing population. The guidelines set out general requirements as well as major goals and tasks, which include integration and enhancement of services to the elderly such as healthcare.
For his work cultivating lettuce and watermelons, Xin Hongquan, chairman of the Jiyuan Agricultural Planting Centre in Chang'an Village, Wenling City, has won a 2021 “Golden Bull Award,” given to leaders of rural revitalisation in Zhejiang Province.
“I can hardly imagine life without the University for Older Adults,” said Liu Shuqin, a 62-year-old student of the university, part of the Open University of China (OUC). She signed up for a calligraphy class recently, after having finished a painting class. “I plan to get enough credits to obtain a diploma. You're never too old to learn!”
On 26 January 2022, a meeting summing up the teaching ability competition of the 2021 National Vocational Student Skills Competition was held in Beijing. The Open University of China (OUC) won an outstanding contribution award for its technical support for the competition, which received high praise from the Department of Vocational and Adult Education of the Ministry of Education. Li Song, vice president of the OUC, was invited to attend the meeting.