Deputy Director-General of the Department of Vocational and Adult Education (DVAE) Liu Jiantong and Director of the Division of Distance and Continuing Education Liu Ying, from the Ministry of Education (MOE), led a team of 15 youth cadres from their subordinate Administrative Office, Division of Comprehensive Affairs, Division of Distance and Continuing Education, Division of Adult Education, Division of Teaching Materials and Division of Moral Education on a tour of the OUC in order for them to carry out research related to their field. 

It has been a traditional practice for the Youth League Branch of the MOE’s DVAE to organize its youth cadres to do grass roots research. With this activity giving them a solid foundation, such youth cadres in the DVAE have a history of being commended as an excellent example in carrying out youth work by the Party Committee of the MOE. The aim of the research tour to the OUC is to help youth cadres to gain a well rounded understanding of open education and strengthen education related communication between the young people. 

Accompanied by Li Linshu, Vice President of the OUC, the youth cadres group visited the History Exhibition of the University with the theme of “Intensive Integration of ICT and Education: From the RTVU to the OUC”. They experienced the distance reality immersive conference system, connected with cloud classrooms in places such as Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, researched the completely automatic high definition recording studio, viewed the examination monitoring system, and visited such venues as the Chinese Language Centre, Credit Bank, Studio on the 12th floor, the OUC Press, Multimedia Centre and Magazine House.   

In the exchange meeting, Li Ling, Vice President of the OUC, warmly welcomed the research tour of the comrades from the DVAE. Vice President Li Linshu gave a detailed report on the construction of the OUC and its education and teaching situation. Comrades from both sides exchanged their thoughts on topics including the OUC’s development direction, organization method, curriculum settings, and problems in the transformation period as well as the youth league work. Vice President Liu Chen, and Director of the OUC Press presided over the exchange meeting. 

DVAE’s youth cadres also held panel discussions with people in charge of the President’s Office, Party Committee Office, Department of News and Public Information, Academic Affairs Department, Information Technology Department, Department of Teaching Resources Management, Credit Accreditation Centre, Development and Planning Department, Learner Support Centre and Teaching Resources Centre. 

According to Mr. Liu Jiantong, the DVAE and the OUC have a very close relationship. The construction of the OUC has made contributions to the development of open education, supporting the popularization of higher education, and deepening the comprehensive reform of education. By taking advantage of the Party's mass line education practices, the DVAE adapts itself to the changes of the new situation, adjusts its management method, and encourages and supports youth cadres to enter into and learn at the grass roots level. It has thus been able to gain a thorough understanding of the system from the ground up. Through the research visit, the youth cadres gained a new understanding and perception of distance education and the achievements made possible by the slogan “be modest in learning, be deep in thinking, summarize and then rise to a higher level ”. 

By Wang Shuo, the OUC (Photos by Yu Zhangli, Wang Shuo)