After more than one year of research and practical exploration, the project “Research and Implementation of a National System for Accreditation, Accumulation, and Transfer of Continuing Education Learning Outcomes”, conducted by the Open University of China (the OUC), has made remarkable progress, having established the system structure, system mode, and core mechanism – the framework for achieving and redeeming credits. On November 11, 2012, the project team presented a special report to the Department of Vocational and Adult Education of the Ministry of Education (MOE). Both the leaders and the staff of this department, staff from the Department of College Student Affairs of the MOE, the Chinese Society of Vocational and Technical Education, National Development and Reform Commission and other relevant departments, attended the report presentation meeting.
Li Linshu, Director of the Project Office and Vice President of the OUC, gave a lecture explaining the overall working of the project, the process of designing and implementing the system, the main conclusion and achievements, further expectations of the project, and prospects for future growth. After listening to the presentation, officials from the MOE affirmed the achievements that have been made by the project up to the present, and in accord with their particular area of expertise, presented suggestions on the critical problems existing in the system design, such as the confirmation of the credit standard and credit connotation in credit bank, how to control the proportion of credit transfer, how to operate the system once it is brought to market, and so on.
Since being authorized by the MOE in June 2012, the project “Research and Implementation of a National System for Accreditation, Accumulation, and Transfer of Continuing Education Learning Outcomes”, which has been studied and implemented for more than one year, is now entering the final phase. The final design of the national system is in place, the method of tracking learning outcomes has been established, the system application path of “Frame & Standard” has been determined, the system operation carrier based on the Learning Outcomes Accreditation Service System and Information Management Platform and the environment to guarantee the system operation (including policy, funds, quality, etc.) has also been resolved, and the critical steps involved in credit verification and accreditation standards have been finalized. All of these measures have yielded an excellent final result, and the whole project is expected to conclude in the first half of next year. The MOE will soon begin work on the construction of the pilot system, based on the achievements made by the project. This will mark a significant step forward in taking the dream of a National System for Accreditation, Accumulation, and Transfer of Continuing Education Learning Outcomes from a pilot stage to comprehensive implementation.
By Li Lingqun, the OUC