Introduction

On 14th November 2022, the Party Committee of the Open University College (OUC) approved the "Plan for the Establishment of the School of Art" (referred to as the "school" hereafter).

This plan clearly outlines the school's objective to become a leading example and showcase for national aesthetic education. It aims to establish a top-tier platform in China with international influence, distinguished characteristics, and flexible approaches, all with the intention of serving art enthusiasts and the general public. The Plan also emphasizes four key functions that the school should fulfill, which include supporting the distinctive development of the Seniors University of China, contributing to the enrichment of degree education, advancing training programmes to establish their own standards and norms, and promoting the establishment of a brand for international exchanges.

On 24th November, the OUC issued an official document to formally announce the establishment of the school. Xu Li, a renowned contemporary painter and former secretary of the Leading Party Group and vice chairman of the China Artists Association, has been appointed as the dean of the school.

Furthermore, an innovative employment mechanism has been implemented to attract capable talents from within the OUC system, establishing a professional and highly skilled teaching team with a balanced age structure and entrepreneurial mindset for the school. Currently, the school consists of 15 teachers, including two professors, two associate professors, and 11 lecturers or teachers with intermediate professional titles.