Recently, a special seminar focused on the OUC's Degree-Conferral English Programme took place in Hefei, Anhui Province.
This event was a collaborative effort between the Faculty of Foreign Affairs and the Academic Affairs Department of the Open University of China (OUC). Anhui Open University also played a significant role as a co-organiser. Fan Xianrui, the vice president of the OUC, was present alongside leaders from 17 branches. Additionally, heads of teaching affairs and English teachers from each branch, as well as 13 business representatives from OUC headquarters, attended the seminar.
Fan Xianrui recently highlighted the progress and achievements of the OUC in the areas of the ASEAN-China Digital Education Alliance, digitalised university initiatives, and the Senior University of China (SUC). On the topic of degree-conferral English exams, she emphasised their crucial role in elevating the quality of education and fostering top-tier talent. The Faculty of Foreign Affairs at the OUC has been at the forefront of pedagogical innovation, having developed a knowledge graph-based adaptive learning system. This system has garnered praise from both educators and students and has piqued the interest of traditional colleges and universities. This underscores the OUC's accomplishments in digitalising teaching, personalising services, and introducing intelligent diagnostic and evaluative measures. It stands as a testament to their leadership in showcasing the system's potential. It is Fan's hope that departments within the OUC system use this as a catalyst, proactively addressing student concerns and bolstering the degree education quality through tangible actions.
Zheng Hanhua, Party Secretary and President of Anhui Open University, attended the seminar and gave a speech. He stated that the Anhui branch has consistently upheld the philosophy of open universities as an integrated system. They have emphasised the pivotal role of open education in their institutional framework, actively engaged in teaching reforms, discipline development, faculty enhancement, quality assurance, and advancements in information technology. All these efforts aim to elevate the quality of the education system throughout the province.
Zhu Xianbin, a member of the Party committee and vice president of Anhui Open University, delivered a keynote speech on the degree-conferral English programme and dissertation work experiences of the Anhui branch. He emphasised that the Anhui branch has steadfastly adhered to and executed the "achieving excellence and improving quality" strategy for degree education. Collaborative efforts have been made in areas such as publicity, teaching, dissertation guidance, and examination organisation to advance the degree-conferral English-related initiatives.
President Zhang Yanqing of the Xi'an Branch outlined five strategies for enhancing English instruction. Meanwhile, Vice President Xie Minghao of the Shandong Branch shared their insights from participating in the smart teaching overhaul. Vice President Li Zhengguang of the Fujian Branch discussed their comprehensive approach, both online and offline, to significantly boost the pass rates for the degree-conferral English exam through smart teaching reforms.
Zheng Jipeng, vice dean of the OUC Faculty of Foreign Languages, presented a comprehensive report on the degree-conferral English exam. He discussed the current state of teaching, examination organisation, and plans for future work. In his report, he also analysed existing teaching challenges and outlined measures to address them, laying out plans for improving the degree-conferral English exam at various levels.
Jin Yan, deputy director of the OUC Academic Affairs Department, emphasised that the degree-conferral English exam is characterized by its public nature, iconic status, and an approach of implementing major reforms through minor changes. It also maintains high quality and sustainability. The OUC is committed to its strategic positioning of high-quality development and will persistently strive for excellence in open education by enhancing its quality. Gao Yuanyuan, chief of the Examination Section of the OUC Academic Affairs Department, provided a detailed overview of the management methods of the degree-conferral English programme, touching upon its history, examination system, and existing challenges.
Heads of academic affairs and leading English teachers from five branches - Shanghai, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Fujian, and Shanxi - shared their experiences and unique approaches to degree-conferral English teaching and instructional counseling. Participants engaged in group discussions on specific topics.
By Zhao Yanjiao, OUC