Practice and Exploration from the OUC Credit Bank Re-included as a Typical Case Released by UNESCO

The Open University of China's (OUC) Credit Bank practice and exploration has once again been featured as a typical case in the Global Inventory of National and Regional Qualifications Frameworks 2022 Volume II: National and Regional Case Studies, recently published by UNESCO.

Notably, the Learning Outcomes Framework developed by the OUC Credit Bank was also included in the 2019 edition of these Case Studies.

Coordinated by UNESCO, the Case Studies were jointly authored by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), and the European Training Foundation (ETF), and published by the European Training Foundation (ETF). This publication offers the latest information on qualifications frameworks from countries worldwide and is released biennially.

The Case Studies notes that after extensive exploration, the OUC Credit Bank has developed a technical approach anchored in the "Learning Outcomes Framework + Standards." This approach has led to the establishment of a comprehensive nationwide service system and the creation of an operational mechanism. This mechanism is characterised by engaging universities, industries, and enterprises in collaborative efforts to support the Credit Bank's growth. The Credit Bank has been proactively involved in recognising, accumulating, and transferring various types of learning outcomes at different levels. Moreover, the Case Studies also highlight the unique practices and achievements of regional credit banks in areas like Shanghai, Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Chongqing.

The development of credit banks is essential in creating a lifelong learning pathway, promoting education for everyone, and building a learning-oriented society. Led by the OUC, the open university system has become a key player in credit bank development. Utilising this system, 19 provincial-level credit banks, as well as regional ones in the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, among other types, have been established. This has effectively formed a model in which credit banks not only support the creation of a learning-oriented society and position China as a leader in education but also share China's unique approach to building credit banks with the international community.

To view the case study from China, please click the link as follows:

Case Studies (China)

By Sun Jingyi, OUC