HEFEI, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- After a quick lunch, Zong Hongbo, a 31-year-old worker in east China's Hefei City, logged in to an online education platform on his mobile phone and started taking a class during his lunch break.
"The curricula are presented through multiple short videos, which makes it easier for me to squeeze time for learning," said Zong.
In October 2023, Zong was among the first students to enroll at the newly established Anhui Institute of Craftsmanship, which is part of Anhui Open University. Targeting craftsmen, workers and other employees, the institute combines online and offline educational resources to improve professional skills as well as advance education of students.
"I want to be a skilled technician, but I was not well educated," said Zong, adding that flexible online learning pattern of open university helps him a lot in his academic career, and makes his life more promising.
As China's major platform for lifelong and online education, the Open University of China has established 45 branches and 3,735 learning centers across the country.
Statistics show that in the autumn of 2023, over 25 million people have received higher education from the university. Anhui Open University, one of its branches, has trained more than 700,000 undergraduate and junior college graduates since its establishment 45 years ago.
Fifteen years ago, after another back-breaking day on the construction site, Wang Bing, a new worker in a local construction company, boarded a bus to attend his first civil engineering class at Anhui Radio and Television University, the predecessor of Anhui Open University.
"I made the right decision to continue my study there, which changed my life," said Wang, now a 41-year-old human-resource specialist. During Wang's university years, he passed several professional certificate examinations, and received his undergraduate diplomas in both Civil Engineering and Human Resource Management.
"After my graduation, I felt more confident at work and more willing to accept new challenges. I took a shot at becoming a human resource personnel and made it," said Wang, noting that he is now working towards earning his third undergraduate diploma at Anhui Open University.
Over the past several decades, open universities at all levels have expanded to offer a wide variety of courses. For example, Anhui Open University offers 65 undergraduate and junior college majors to students, including economics, law, literature and education. Moreover, programs targeting workers for emerging industries have also been advanced to energize the local economy.
Ma Ning, dean of the School of Open Education of Anhui Open University, believes that open university can assist students in acquiring professional knowledge and developing their comprehensive qualities in a comprehensive approach.
As an ardent learner at Anhui Open University, Fei Hongyan, manager of a local electrical device company, has completed her undergraduate studies in law and accounting. During her nine years of studies, she has also acquired several professional certificates including senior dietitian.
"These skills are not related to my business, but absorbing new knowledge really enhances my all-round performance and my understanding of the world," said Fei.
In 2025, Fei will earn her third undergraduate diploma from Anhui Open University. "I'm fascinated by the rewards and feedback associated with learning. I will continue learning for the rest of my life," she added.
