On the afternoon of 8 September 2022, the Open University of China (OUC) held a conference to celebrate the 2022 Teachers’ Day, summarising and commending the achievements and honours obtained by all the staff over the past year. More than 170 people, including the OUC leaders, teachers commended and representatives of teachers from various departments, attended the conference in person, and other staff members attended the conference online.

During the conference, Jing Degang, secretary of the Party Committee and president of the OUC, extended greetings to all the teachers of the OUC and expressed warm congratulations to the teachers commended on behalf of the OUC Party Committee and the leadership. The conference was presided over by Liu Xianghong, deputy secretary of the OUC Party Committee and secretary of the OUC Discipline Commission.

Jing Degang pointed out that 10 September 2022 marks China’s 38th Teachers’ Day and the 10th anniversary of the inauguration of the OUC. Over the past decade, the OUC has achieved considerable development and gratifying results. The scale of the university has increased steadily, digital transformation has gained remarkable achievements, breakthroughs have been made in the system construction, and a culture of encouraging contributions and working hard has taken shape. The quality of talent formation in the university has kept improving with great achievements made in the building of learning resources and a steady flow of new successes in innovation and entrepreneurship competitions. The university’s ability to serve the country has been significantly enhanced. The OUC has fully demonstrated its responsibilities to society, such as implementing targeted poverty alleviation through education assistance, taking the lead in responding to the initiatives of uninterrupted learning during school closures, successfully launching an online lifelong education platform, building the National University for the Older Adults, and undertaking the construction of a National Credit Bank for Vocational Education.

Jing Degang underlined that these achievements are the results of the joint efforts of all the teachers. The university has been blessed with a high-quality professional team of teachers. However, there is still some room for improvement in terms of the level of scientific research capacity, implementing student-based practice, putting teaching to real effect, and developing useful course resources that are easy to learn.

In the face of the new situation, new tasks, and new requirements, Jing Degang proposed three hopes for all the OUC staff.

The first is love for education. Since the students of the OUC vary greatly, it is imperative to put into action the university’s philosophy of “respecting learning, making it universally beneficial, and providing education for all people with no distinction.” We should do what we can with love and feelings for the country and the people to meet the diverse learning needs of the public.

The second is efforts in teaching. Teachers should focus on education and teaching, do well in teaching, and make efforts in teaching. The OUC will begin with the teachers from the university itself to foster famous teachers for the OUC.

The third is dedication to educational reform. Teachers should face the future rather than their past, and it is imperative to constantly adjust concepts to optimise the teaching plan and improve teaching methods. The university creates conditions for teachers to be able to be devoted to teaching and teaching reform, making teaching and research one of the OUC’s main calling cards.

OUC President Jing Degang presenting awards to staff members who have worked at the OUC for more than 30 years

Cao Guoyong, executive deputy secretary of the Party Committee, presenting awards to outstanding teachers from the OUC headquarters

Vice President Ju Chuanjin presenting awards to outstanding research staff members  

Liu Chen, deputy secretary of the Party Committee, reading out “Decision of the OUC on the Commendation of Staff Members Who Have Worked at the OUC for 30 Years and Taught for 30 Years”

Liu Xianghong, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and secretary of the Discipline Commission, presiding over the conference and reading out the list of outstanding teachers from the OUC headquarters who have won awards

Vice President Li Song reading out the list of outstanding research staff members, online teaching stars and online learning stars

Vice President Fan Xianrui reading out the projects and lists of staff members who have won the awards at or above the university level during the 2021-2022 academic year

Those who were commended at the conference included staff members who have worked at the OUC for more than 30 years and taught for more than 30 years, the outstanding teachers of the OUC, the outstanding research staff members, the online teaching stars, and the online learning stars. Projects and individuals that won awards at or above the university level during the 2021-2022 academic year were also commended.

Xu Jinhai speaking on behalf of the outstanding research staff members

Zeng Yangxuan speaking on behalf of online teaching stars

Xu Jinhai from the Faculty of Economics and Management and Zeng Yangxuan from the Faculty of Education made speeches on behalf of the outstanding staff members of scientific research and the online teaching stars, respectively.

 

At the conference, new staff members for the year 2022 made a solemn pledge. Having given their passionate pledge, the new staff members also became more determined to undertake their responsibility and mission as teachers of the OUC.

 

Written by Zhang Hongrui; Photos by Weng Jianbin, Sun Ming and Li Biao, OUC