The 38th Annual Conference of the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) was held in Beijing from Oct. 21–23, with the theme of “Transforming Open and Distance Learning (ODL) for a Sustainable Lifelong Learning Society.” Vice Minister of Education Ren Youqun attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

Ren noted that China is committed to the development of a ubiquitous and accessible lifelong learning system by implementing the Education Digitalization Strategy. He said that China is willing to work with AAOU members to produce an Asian approach to the development of an open, inclusive, and sustainable lifelong learning society.

The conference covered a range of issues, including smart education technology, education for seniors and lifelong education systems, innovative ODL models, quality assurance, and international cooperation.

During the conference, the Open University of China (OUC) was selected as the chair of the AAOU for the next term (2026–2028). The book, History of AAOU, was released, and winners of various awards such as the Best Paper Award, Best Practice Award, Young Innovation Award, and Lifetime Achievement Award were announced, with two papers submitted by the OUC receiving Best Practice Award gold and silver medals.

The conference was hosted by the OUC, bringing together nearly 300 participants, including leaders, scholars, and practitioners in open and distance education from over 20 countries across Asia and beyond.