The OUC held its 2013 annual working conference in Beijing on February 23. The conference focused on the following issues: the construction of an institutional framework and an academic system, informatization, the importance of education and teaching, and the establishment of a credit bank.

During the conference, OUC President Yang Zhijian delivered a working report, "Expectations for 2013". The report covered a wide range of working arrangements for 2013. Li Ling, secretary of the Party Committee, spoke about the work of the Party Committee. In addition, high-level leaders including Yan Bing, Zhang Hui, Li Linshu, Zhang Shaogang, Liu Chen andYang Xiaotang, and all middle-level leaders, participated in the conference.

The OUC’s eight development goals for 2013 are as follows: 1. Fall semester enrollment and the drafting of basic documents; 2. Construct an institutional framework, including the OUC Board and related committees; 3. Promote academic pilot projects to help expand the OUC’s role in society; 4. Improve teaching, evaluation, service and online learning models; 5. Continued informatization based on the OUC’s existing network; 6. Construct digital learning resources for key online courses; 7. Explore the construction of a credit bank; 8. Draft plans for the construction of the OUC.

The conference focused on opening minds and deepening understanding, in order to vigorously promote the construction of the OUC.

Under the direction of the Party Leadership Group and the Party Committee of the directly affiliated departments of the Ministry of Education, members of the OUC’s Party Committee said that they would focus on party branch construction and the establishment of an ideological, organized working style. They also promised to strengthen the fight against corruption. In addition, they highlighted the importance of building a new party branch characterized by an orientation towards learning, service and innovation. The conference called for passion and enthusiasm from the whole faculty. By working together with the Party’s major policies in mind, they can provide a strong guarantee for the completion of the OUC’s key tasks and annual working plan.

By He Jing