On 18 March 2022 the Open University of China (OUC) held a meeting via video link to promote the "Smart Learning Platform" pilot project for the spring term 2022 to advance the implementation of the national digital education strategy action (“action” for short) and accelerate the OUC’s digital transformation. OUC vice president Fan Xianrui delivered a speech.

Fan Xianrui noted that General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to informatisation construction and the development of the digital economy and Digital China initiative. He has stressed that “developing a digital economy is a strategic choice for grasping the new opportunities in the new round of revolution in science and technology and industrial transformation.” It is essential to “seize the direction of digital, network and smart technologies, advance the in-depth integration of digital technologies with the real economy, and constantly support China’s digital economy in becoming bigger and stronger,” which points out a very clear direction and fundamental principle for digital development. Furthermore, Huai Jinpeng, secretary of Party Group and minister of the Ministry of Education, mentioned the implementation of the action in the 2022 national education conference, which has created higher demands for the digital development of open universities. Unified efforts and higher stance should be made in the open-university system to substantially strengthen the sense of responsibility and urgency for the implementation of the action. We should adhere to an approach that centres on application and services and seize the opportunity to carry forward the digital strategy action to advance the high-quality development of open universities. Fan Xianrui emphasised that open universities rely on informatisation for their core competitiveness and the "Smart Learning Platform" function as the foundation of a smart OUC, which the university can rely on to enhance the quality of its open education. It is hoped that a consensus be built within the open-university system, new concepts and ideas can be promoted in the pilot application, and concerted efforts can be gathered to tackle key problems in the pilot project in order to develop the "Smart Learning Platform" into a first-class and innovative platform in the online education domain.

During the meeting, the system structure and progress of the "Smart Learning Platform," as well as the specific work arrangements for its promotion and application in the 2022 spring term, were introduced.

Since the call for the pilot use of the "Smart Learning Platform" went out, the OUC and its branches, schools and colleges will make concerted efforts to complete the pilot work and ensure the smooth implementation of the digital transformation of open universities.

Yuan Yaxing, director of the OUC Information and Technology Department, presided over the meeting. Personnel from relevant departments, branches, schools and colleges in charge of informatisation, academic affairs and teaching management attended the meeting.

By OUC