On the morning of 2 Nov. 2022, the Open University of China (OUC) held a seminar related to its “Lectures by Famous Teachers from 100 Universities”. The event was held at the Wukesong campus, and attended both online and offline.

The seminar followed the guidance of the 20th CPC National Congress report on education and rural revitalisation, inviting scholars and other experts inside and outside the OUC system to speak on their work.

Prof. Zhang Qi, CPC secretary of the School of Economics and Resource Management, and dean of the China Institute for Poverty Reduction, at Beijing Normal University, as well as dean of the China Rural Revitalisation and Development Research Centre, delivered a report titled “Promoting High-quality Rural Revitalisation and Agricultural and Rural Modernisation with Chinese Characteristics”. He was awarded the 2020 National Poverty-alleviation Innovation Award, and has been named an Advanced Individual of National Poverty Alleviation, among other honours. His report reviewed the development and achievements of China's rural-revitalisation strategy, and followed the guidance of the 20th CPC National Congress to outline strategic priorities and initiatives in terms of training and other aspects of rural revitalisation.

Three young OUC scholars - Associate Professor Dong Weixin from the Hebei Branch, associate Professor Zhang Shaowei from the Henan branch, and Dr. Leng Xiyuan from the OUC headquarters - were invited to speak on training and rural revitalisation.

Profs. Zhang Qi and Hu Lifeng from the OUC headquarters commented on their academic research, and offered guidance. They said that the it was based on training and research, and offered sound exploration in three directions: agricultural technology, village-level industrial planning, and education of rural residents, covering the key topics of education, research and rural revitalisation.

Prof. Li Guangde, Director of the OUC Faculty of Agroforestry and Medicine (Rural Revitalisation College), said that the seminar had been running for three consecutive years, and is effective in uniting the research strengths of the system and expanding its research horizons. In the future, the Faculty will also work closely with scholars and other experts inside and outside the OUC system, and continue to research the construction of disciplines and majors. The seminar was presided over by Zhao Tingting, deputy director of the OUC Faculty of Agroforestry and Medicine (Rural Revitalisation College).

By Zhao Tingting; Photos by Li Yingjie