On the morning of January 14th, the unveiling ceremony for the National Elderly University Jiangsu Branch Suzhou Campus and Suzhou Elderly Open University, along with an exchange meeting on enhancing high-quality collaborative development of a learning society through elderly education, was held at Suzhou Open University. The event was organized by the Suzhou Education Bureau and hosted by Suzhou Vocational University (Suzhou Open University).
Notable attendees included: Yang Yu, Sha Tao, Chen Jun, and Wang Feng. Representatives from 52 government agencies, industry associations, enterprises, schools, and non-profit organizations gathered to celebrate the establishment of the new branch. These included the Suzhou Cyberspace Administration Office, Suzhou Red Cross Society, Suzhou Elderly Industry Federation, Suzhou Health and Wellness Group, Suzhou Museum, and Suzhou University. JSOU's Elderly Development Institute Dean Zhou Zhenhua and Deputy Dean Sun Peisong also participated in the unveiling ceremony.
In her speech, Yang Yu fully affirmed the significant achievements of Suzhou in the field of elderly education and expressed high hopes for the future development of Suzhou Elderly Open University. She proposed four points of hope: Persist in innovation-driven development and explore new models for elderly education. Deepen industry-education collaboration and align with economic and social development. Promote a positive view of aging and inspire the social value of the elderly. Strengthen resource integration and create new heights in elderly education. Yang Yu hoped that Suzhou Elderly Open University would fully leverage its strengths to better serve the elderly population in Suzhou and make active contributions to the elderly education sector across the province and even the country
Zhou Zhenhua read out the official notification for the establishment of the National Elderly University Jiangsu Branch Suzhou Campus.
Sha Tao and Yang Yu jointly unveiled the plaque for the National Elderly University Jiangsu Branch Suzhou Campus, while Chen Jun and Zhou Zhenhua unveiled the plaque for Suzhou Elderly Open University. This marked a new phase in Suzhou's elderly education development.
Wang Feng announced the Action Declaration for Serving Elderly Learning and Promoting Elderly Civilization on behalf of the Jiangsu Elderly Open University system. The declaration committed to deepening digital integration, enhancing service quality, strengthening collaborative innovation, and fostering an elderly civilization.
The event also introduced a series of special projects and classes designed to meet the diverse needs of the elderly, offering varied, personalized, and professional learning services.
During the keynote speech session, Zheng Lijiang, an expert from the Suzhou Elderly Industry Federation, delivered a talk titled The First Lesson of Retirement. Elderly students showcased their talents through vibrant dance performances and harmonica recitals.
Additionally, emergency first aid instructors from Suzhou Vocational University conducted live demonstrations of CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. The event was rich in content, diverse in format, and full of highlights, serving as an exemplary model for promoting high-quality development in elderly education.
During the event, outstanding teachers from Suzhou Elderly Open University for the year 2024 were recognized, and think tank researchers for the year 2025 were appointed. These outstanding teachers and researchers will collectively contribute their wisdom and efforts to the development of Suzhou Elderly Open University.
