On May 9, the 2026 National and Jiangsu Lifelong Learning Week launch event was held in Suzhou. JSOU President Zhang Yingchun, along with Vice Presidents Liu Guiyou and Yang Yu, attended the event.
Co-hosted by multiple national ministries and the China Adult Education Association, and organized by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education and Suzhou Municipal Government, the event carried the theme “Making Learning a Way of Life.” It aimed to promote lifelong learning concepts and encourage broad public participation. The event included an opening ceremony, on-site learning activities, thematic seminars, and site visits.
In a video address, Xu Qingsen, Vice Minister of Education, called for updated perspectives on lifelong education aligned with the goal of building a strong education system. He stressed the importance of leveraging institutional strengths, tailoring education to diverse learner needs, integrating online and offline learning, and expanding access to high-quality resources through the national smart education platform.
During the launch, the University Lifelong Learning Digital Resource Alliance was established. Newly released resources included 300 high-quality digital learning materials from universities, 800 exemplary lifelong learning projects, and over 700 courses from 28 ministries, social organizations, and enterprises. A total of 89 national lifelong learning programs, 180 “Lifelong Learning Stars,” and 181 “Lifelong Learning Brand Projects” were also announced.
On-site learning activities featured 87 interactive zones covering topics such as school-family-community collaboration, vocational skills, senior education, and digital learning, offering participants hands-on experiences and consultations.
JSOU presented six interactive projects highlighting its innovations in social and senior education:
- The Credit Bank’s “Learning Outcomes Recognition” project demonstrated the full cycle of accumulating, storing, converting, and redeeming learning credits.
- The School of Rural Revitalization presented its “Learning for Agricultural Services” initiative, showcasing its role in supporting rural development.
- The School of Aging Development displayed Jiangsu’s senior education system, with a focus on digital health learning tools.
- The Development Planning Office introduced its “3,000 Open Professors” project, highlighting institutional innovations in social education faculty development.
- The School of Information Engineering brought an interactive intelligent robotics experience, emphasizing AI and manufacturing talent development.
- The Social Education Division presented senior study tours, the “Jiangsu Learning Online” platform, and an AI-powered career tool.
