From 23-25 November, 2017, a conference titled “Quality Standards and Writing Norms for Educational Theses and Dissertations in Education-related Subjects” was held by the Faculty of Education of the Open University of China (OUC) in Kunming.
From 18-20 March, 2018, the 3rd US-China Smart Education Conference was held in Beijing.
Bathed in the strong east wind of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), a documentary work collection from the third session of a series of calligraphy seminars of the Shuyuan Calligraphy Class of the Open University of China (OUC), is about to be sent to the press for printing. The Calligraphy Institute director, Cai Minji, invited me to write a preface. I am very pleased to accept because I love calligraphy art very much. I also want to take this opportunity to share my thoughts on this and exchange views with the students and my colleagues.
Recently, with a reluctance to leave the snowy plateau, a deep love for Tibetan compatriots, and silent care for the development of Shannan Prefecture, a group of 50 professional technical personnel from Hunan Province in a short-term Tibetan aid programme, fifth of the kind, have successfully completed their tasks and made a smooth return to Hunan province. Fang Song, a teacher of the Department of Network Technology from Hunan Radio and Television University (Hunan RTVU), was one of them.
“It is lucky to meet a good teacher. It is an honour for a school to have good teachers. And excellent teachers are the hope of the nation.” Among the many good teachers in our country, there is a special group which, for 40 years since the reform and opening-up, has trained millions from all walks of life and cultivated countless high-quality workers.
In June 2017, the first session of the teaching skills competition of the Open University of China (OUC) concluded. Ma Shaojun, a tutor from the OUC Zhejiang branch, won the best online design prize for his “timely learning reminders + learning via online platforms + special quizzes + real-time assignments” teaching model. He also won the overall first prize.
On the morning of 12th March 2018, the OUC Experimental School held an appointment meeting for the deputy dean of the School. At the meeting, OUC vice president Liu Chen delivered a speech summarising the past achievements of the OUC Experimental School and putting forward requirements for its future development. The abstract of the speech is as follows:
“The farmers’ courtyards with their white walls and grey tiles are well-arranged; all the cement paths in the village are wide and flat; and the fields and footpaths are crisscrossed with shady fruit trees……” To the villagers of Pipa Village, Shuiningsi Township, Bazhong City in Sichuan Province, this description is closely related to village Party secretary Yang Bin, a junior college student in the rural administration programme of the Open University of China (OUC). Yang Bin is a well-known national “Secretary on crutches” and has been honoured with the Fifth National Self-Improvement Example award. He has met Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, and Li Keqiang, premier of the State Council.