On 14 July 2015, the second working conference of the Quality Assurance Committee of the Open University of China (OUC) was held in Beijing. The conference focused on quality issues, a united quality consensus, clarifying ideas, and taking effective measures to raise overall quality.

A total of 99 people, including Mr. Yang Zhijian, President of the OUC and Chairman of the Quality Assurance Committee, Mr. Li Linshu, Vice President of the OUC and Chairman of the Quality Assurance Committee, Mr. Yan Jichang, Secretary General of Modern Distance Education Collaborative Group of National Universities and Colleges and Honorary Member of the Quality Assurance Committee, members of the OUC’s Quality Assurance Committee, leaders from the OUC’s departments, and staff from the headquarters attended the meeting. 

Yang Zhijian delivered a report on The OUC’s Quality Guarantee Work. He introduced the progress made in OUC construction from the following five aspects: Strengthening system construction and making innovations in system mechanisms; Advancing educational digitization construction and integrating shared quality resources; Deepening teaching reforms and upgrading talent training quality; Making explorations into the credit bank system and building a lifelong learning bridge; Developing non-degree continuing education to meet diversified learning needs.

Yang Zhijian pointed out that in the process of developing the OUC's construction model, quality, especially the quality of learner development, has gained high attention from the Government, society, and the experts. While in the process of upgrading the radio and TV university into the open universities of China, shifting the focus from extension to connotation, making quality improvement the value orientation and fundamental aim of the university system, is a very important issue.

Yang Zhijian stressed that the OUC has always insisted on "Quality as the Base of the University" and has done the following work in the name of quality improvement: 1.Investigations. The OUC has carried out a large amount of basic theory research, international compared research, special survey, and special research; 2. Quality standard development. Based on investigations and nature, combined with the features and positioning of the OUC, the OUC Quality Standard 1.0 Version Beta has gradually taken shape; 3.Quality monitoring. Comprised of teaching inspection, teaching instruction, exam checking, quality evaluation, and published quality reports, etc.

Yang Zhijian presented working concepts to further upgrade the quality of learner development: First, to maintain the diversified quality view; Second, to uphold the basic concept of treating quality as the basis of a university; Third, to establish a student-centred philosophy; Fourth, to establish the concept of an assurance process; Fifth, to establish a network-based concept. He noted that this concept should be centered on deepening the reform of teaching contents, course structure, and examination modes; promoting the learner development model of "six network integration" and strengthening the construction of the teachers team and the school organization system. Regarding the construction of the committee, he emphasized the need to strengthen organizational building, to perfect the work mechanism, and to develop specific work plans.

In the conference's keynote address, Mr. Li Linshu gave a progress report from the Teaching Standard Committee. Mr. Chen Bingzhang, Deputy Chairman of the Quality Guarantee Committee and Former Party Secretary of Gansu branch briefed the attendees on the work of the Teaching Instruction Committee. President of Jiangxi Division, Shen Jianhua expounded on the Construction of Teaching Quality Evaluation System in Open and Distance Education. Zhang Ning, Party Secretary of Xi’an Division, spoke on the theme Some Views on Teaching Quality of Open Universities. Liaoning Division Principal Xiaokun introduced the Use of Right Quality Views to Promote Scientific Development of Open Universities. The participants discussed topics such as quality concepts, quality standards, quality assurance, and quality improvement.

Yang Zhijian summarized the conference from four aspects: First, in the face of the new historical background, participating representatives talked about their thoughts on, and awareness of, quality elevation, which has stirred up inspirations from the realm of ideology and was conducive to advancing the quality of work in the divisions of the OUC; Second, the emotional connection between the participants was further built up and the cohesion of the school running organization system was strengthened; Third, the attendees proposed constructive views on how to improve quality from different angles, which provides a thinking base for quality work in the future; Fourth, the conference validated the fact that quality improvement in learner development in the OUC has stepped up to a new level.

         Delegates visiting the exhibition of the achievements for the third anniversary of the OUC 

 

                                                                                                       By Jin Hongyu,OUC