To thoroughly study and apply Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement the guiding principles from the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, inherit and carry forward the spirit of the May 4th Movement, and mobilize the vast number of youths in the Open University of China (OUC) to shoulder their responsibilities and work hard in unity, the OUC held a significant learning event themed "Telling Stories about Achievements and Becoming Progressive Youth" on 30 April 2024.

The event focused on building a leading country in education. Liu Xuanxuan, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission at OUC, attended the event and delivered a speech.

The OUC has organised joint learning activities to celebrate May 4th Youth Day for four consecutive years, featuring stories on “fighting the COVID-19 epidemic,” “Party history,” “Rural Revitalisation,” and “Reading.” These events have garnered positive feedback from both within and outside the OUC education system. This year's grand learning event includes four key themes: “Zhejiang’s Green Rural Revival Programme,” “Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains,” “Revitalisation of Northeast China,” and “Rural Revitalisation.” Youth representatives from the branches in Zhejiang, Shanxi, and Heilongjiang, as well as the headquarters of the OUC education system, shared stories of achievements and learning experiences. The aim is to motivate the youth within the education system to forge ahead on this new journey and contribute to the new era, enabling them to realise their dreams, contribute to, pioneer, and take on significant roles in the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization. This initiative seeks to harness the formidable strength of the youth in establishing a leading country in education.

Liu Xuanxuan stated that over the past 45 years, the OUC has made unique and significant contributions to China's higher education, transforming it from an elitist model to a mass-oriented approach, and now to a stage of universal education. The OUC has played an irreplaceable role in this transition and in the development of a learning society in China. She hopes that the young teachers and students will embrace this historical mission, strengthen their confidence in moving forward, and contribute their youthful wisdom and energy to accelerate the creation of a leading country in education and a world-class open university with Chinese characteristics.

This event significantly inspired the teachers and students of the OUC education system, instilling pride in the motherland's achievements in the new era. It fostered a strong atmosphere of progress by featuring young representatives from the education system who shared their achievements and personal insights. The event was broadcast across multiple platforms, including the People's Daily app, China Media Group Mobile, OUC’s cloud classroom, OUC’s online live classroom, and the OUC Lifelong Education Platform, reaching a live viewership of 500,000 people. It was co-organised by several OUC departments: the General Office of Party and Administration, the Publicity Department (also known as the Department of United Front Work), the Department of Student Affairs and Teacher Development, the Academic Affairs Department, the Learning Resources Department, the Labour Union, the Youth Committee, and the Youth League Committee. Teachers and students from the OUC education system participated in the event both online and offline.

Huang Yu, a student at Zhejiang Taizhou OU who enrolled in 2020, speaks about The Road to Shared Prosperity in the “Sky City”

Hou Dongsheng, a student at Shanxi OU who enrolled in 2019, speaks about Protecting Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains, and Playing the Ecological Music

Qi Jiazhen, a teacher from the School of Marxism of Heilongjiang OU, speaks about Black Soil Nourishes the Great Northern Wilderness, and Loyal Hearts Make a Big Granary

Li Guangde, Du Zhiyi, and Cao Qinzheng from the OUC Headquarters’ School of Agroforestry and Medicine (Rural Revitalisation College), speak about Rooted in the Grassroots Communities for 20 Years to Cultivate Excellent Talent for Revitalisation

By Wang Shaoyu, OUC