On 29 August 2014, a Workshop on the Application of Standards for Learning Outcomes Accreditation of the Credit Bank of the OUC was held in Beijing. At the workshop the experience in formulating the accreditation standards was summarized , and the standard accreditation models were further identified , including "Course sharing and mutual credit recognition", "Dual-certificate integration" and the "Construction of a lifelong learning pathway”.

At the workshop, the participants discussed and exchanged their views on the follow-up work progress and problems. Vice President of the Open University of China (OUC) Liu Chen, the responsible personnel from the standards formulation unit in charge of the project on “Research and Implementation of a National System for Accreditation, Accumulation, and Transfer of Continuing Education Learning Outcomes”, the leaders of the Industry School of the OUC, the responsible persons and relevant personnel in the Credit Bank of the OUC attended the workshop.

Liu Chen introduced the development trends in degree education and non-degree education and the initiatives that the OUC has taken. He affirmed the importance of sorting and communication on the certificate education. He pointed out that to give full play to the role of the Credit Bank as a bond and achieve effective communication and connection between degree education and non-degree education, the Industry School should make an effective combination of degree education and non-degree education. In this way, the communication and exchanges with the Industry School would be enhanced, both sides could integrate quality resources and explore new mechanisms for cooperation in various industries.

Yan Xiaoping, Executive Deputy Director of the OUC Credit Bank Management Office (Learning Outcomes Accreditation Centre) explained the application of the standards. He noted that the“Research and Practice of a National System for Accreditation, Accumulation, and Transfer of Continuing Education Learning Outcomes” project was in its closing stage. The follow-up work was how to promote the application of the achievements, especially the application of accreditation standards. He also defined the working mechanism for the next step, pointing out that all the organizations directly cooperating with the Credit Bank should uniformly contact with Credit Bank, and the work concerning relevant departments of the OUC should be coordinated by the Credit Bank Management Office.

Yan Xiaoping illustrated the application models of the accreditation standards for "Course sharing and mutual credit recognition", "Dual-certificate" and "Construction of a lifelong learning pathway” project in detail. "OUC course sharing and mutual credit recognition" model is defined like this, if learners have obtained qualifications and job skills training certificates that match with their degree major, they can replace their credit of the corresponding courses based on the accreditation standard once they get accreditation from the Credit Bank. "Dual-certificate integration" model indicates that the professional teaching requirement of degree education and that of a corresponding level of professional qualification and job skills training certificates are organically integrated by reorganizing the courses of both learning providers based on the accreditation standards to determine several “dual certificate” courses as the common curriculum for degree education and non-degree education. Learners take part in the "dual certificate” exams. If they pass all the required exams, they will be awarded the corresponding professional qualifications and job skills training certificates, and gain the credits of the corresponding courses for degree education. This model can promote the reform in the personnel training pattern, the curriculum system and teaching, fundamentally resolving the disconnection problem between education standards and employment standards. "Construction of a lifelong learning pathway” model means that the OUC will launch its pilot for this model at a proper time based on the pilot of "OUC course sharing and mutual credit recognition" model and "dural-certificate” model, achieving the vertical convergence of degree education, as well as the horizontal connection between non-degree education and degree education. Yan Xiaoping stressed that no matter what model it is, it should reflect the concept of the Credit Bank, and achieve the formulation for the accreditation standards in accordance with the Credit Bank’s technical path.

The Ministry of Education attaches great importance to the construction of the Credit Bank, and will promulgate "Opinions on Promoting the Learning Outcomes Accumulation and Transfer". The OUC will be required to organize the local open universities to carry out a pilot project of the accreditation, accumulation and transfer of different types of learning outcomes with various industries, businesses, universities and training providers.

All the participants exchanged their views concerning the building of the School of Industry and the formulation of standards. They shared their thoughts and experience on the formulation of standards, verified its viability and scientific nature of the path and methods, and fully confirmed that the construction of the Credit Bank is the strategic choice made by the OUC in its development path. Through the Credit Bank, the OUC could integrate resources in various industries, which is impossible for any other institutions. In this respect, the OUC has grasped the development opportunities and seized the high ground. The participants discussed many issues, including the application of the accreditation standards, the accumulation and transfer of credits, educational needs and training requirements, the granularity of accreditation unit, the degrees of difference for accreditation, and market mechanisms.

During the communication section at the workshop, the participants put forward many constructive comments and suggestions. For example, they suggested that dedicated staff should be prepared to answer questions and offer guidance on how to carry out such work; communication and exchanges among institutions should be strengthened; people working in the higher education institutions, industries, and business sectors should be selected to participate in the formulation of standards so as to improve the effectiveness and viability of the standards; while in formulating the standards, the major, credit, and certificates should be well connected.

By Wang Yanhua, the OUC