The Open University of China (OUC), supervised directly by the Ministry of Education of China (MOE), is a pioneering higher education institution that offers open education nationwide.
This year marks its 45th anniversary. Over the past 45 years, the university has dedicated itself to the profound integration of information technology and educational teaching. With the support of modern information technology, high-quality education is increasingly accessible to a broader audience. Aiming to create a "university without walls" and a "university in the cloud," the OUC is making significant contributions toward building a learning society where lifelong learning is pursued by all.
Following the instructions and guidance of the Party — Pursuing unswervingly the development mapped out
In February 1978, under the initiation and approval of Comrade Deng Xiaoping, the China Central Radio and TV University (CCRTVU) was established. In July 2012, the Open University of China (OUC) was officially inaugurated, building on the foundations of the CCRTVU. In March 2023, the Seniors University of China (SUC) was unveiled at the OUC.
Over the past 45 years, the university has consistently upheld the fundamental principle of strengthening the Party’s overall leadership. It has adhered to the key orientation of serving the nation's strategic needs and embraced the essential task of fostering virtue through education. By positioning itself to serve the vast majority of the people in education, leveraging its integrated national operation advantage, and using reform and innovation as the driving force, the university has embarked on a path to develop a new type of university. This path is deeply rooted in the vast land of China and tailored to China’s unique conditions, embodying Chinese characteristics.
Prioritising the essentials to ensure quality — Writing a new chapter in fostering virtue through education
Over the past 45 years, the university has leveraged its institutional and systemic strengths to proactively address the needs of economic and social development. It has made significant contributions to the creation of a learning society.
The national education system comprises the OUC headquarters, 44 provincial-level open universities, and 2,744 study centres. This network has established the largest scale of distance education in the world, known as the Chinese model. It has enrolled a cumulative total of 25.72 million students in higher education through open education, representing 10.3% of the total number of people who have received higher education in China. The system has also graduated a cumulative total of 19.61 million students, which accounts for 8.5% of all university graduates in China since the reinstatement of the national college entrance examination system.
Currently, the university has 4.567 million enrolled students, nearly one-tenth of the total higher education enrollment. For 20 consecutive years, the university has run the “One College Student Per Village” Programme, enrolling a total of 1.075 million students and nurturing 746,000 local talent from rural areas. It has also trained 509,000 high-caliber military personnel, 329,000 competent industrial workers, and over 10,000 disabled students. Additionally, the university has developed a smart platform for degree education, supporting the learning needs of 4.567 million students pursuing degrees.
Staying true to the founding mission to enhance service — Highlighting the always shining spirit of the OUC
Over the past 45 years, the OUC has actively embraced its social responsibilities, exemplifying the spirit, strength, and mission of the university. Its Lifelong Education Platform has amassed over 1 million course resources, serving a total of 60 million lifelong learners, with as many as 6.8 million registered users. The university has provided over 2 billion non-degree educational services to the public, establishing lifelong learning records for 17.54 million people.
The SUC has steadfastly adhered to its educational mission of "cultivating virtue, pursuing lifelong learning, proactively maintaining health, embracing a joyful life, and achieving positive accomplishments." To this end, it has established community-level learning points across the nation. The SUC has also iteratively upgraded the National Education Platform for the Elderly, amassing 436,000 course resources that total 4.089 million minutes. Overall, it has provided learning support services to 57.08 million people, including 22.14 million senior learners.
Enhancing strength with rising influence — Winning acclaims for the OUC
Over the past 45 years, the strength of open education has grown significantly, presenting a new image of the OUC to the global community. The university has established 20 overseas learning centres in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and has signed cooperation agreements with nearly 30 universities and institutions abroad. These partnerships extend across almost 30 countries and regions in Asia, Africa, and Oceania. The university has also been instrumental in forming the ASEAN-China Digital Education Alliance, actively engaging in extensive and in-depth cooperation with ASEAN countries.
In October 2017, the OUC was awarded the ICDE Institutional Prize of Excellence at the 27th World Conference of the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE). In April 2021, the "One College Student Per Village" Programme received the UNESCO Prize for ICT in Education, contributing Chinese wisdom and approaches to global poverty alleviation efforts.
Standing at a new starting point, the OUC will continue to fulfill its fundamental task of fostering virtue through education. It will seize the historical opportunity to contribute to the construction of a leading country in education, promoting high-quality, innovative development of open education in an integrated and coordinated manner. The university is committed to empowering lifelong learning services through digitalisation, contributing to the development of a society and country dedicated to learning. The OUC is ready to make new and greater contributions to transforming China into a powerful nation and advancing the great cause of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Reprinted by OUC News Network from People’s Daily Online