Shanghai Open University (SOU) is pleased to announce the 2025 International Visiting Scholar Program, aiming to foster global academic exchange and cooperation in open and distance education. This program invites scholars from universities, research institutions, and related fields worldwide to engage in academic discussions, field visits, and collaborative research, with the goal of enhancing teaching and research quality in the field of open education.
SOU is offering up to 15 fellowships for the 2025 International Visiting Scholar Program. SOU International Visiting Scholar Program is unique in that we use the same ‘blended model’ as we do in our courses to combine both face-to-face and mobile distance education to create global communities of scholarship for our Visiting Scholars.
Duration of the Program
On-site in Shanghai: 2 weeks from 16 to 29 October 2025
Important Dates
Deadline for application: September 8th, 2025
Notification of acceptance: September 12th, 2025
Essential Requirements for Candidates
- Relevant teaching and/or research experience in open & distance learning.
- Possessing a post-graduate degree and have held the position of instructor or above in the home institution.
- Having fluent written and oral English ability (the working language for all official activities is English).
- Being in good health and reasonable fitness to participate in local events.
Desirable Requirements
Besides the above requirements, applicants who have the following experience will be given priority for consideration.
- Experience in educational management, senior leadership positions, or having taken senior leadership roles.
- Experience with existing or previous collaborative research projects with SOU.
Required Materials for Application (Written in English)
- Curriculum Vitae (candidates should have advanced English skills and hold a M.A degree or above)
- A research proposal for the fellowship program: it could be a study on SOU practices, a comparative study between SOU and the applicant’s home institution, a proposal for future collaboration, etc. Topics may include but are not restricted to：
- Research on the Construction Path and Policies of Learning Cities
- Research on the Lifelong Learning Support Service System
- Research on the Monitoring of Citizens’ Digital Learning Capabilities
- Research on Improving the Emergency Response Capabilities of Urban Communities
- Research on Improving the Emergency Legal System
- Generative AI and the Development of TPACK for Teachers in Open Universities
- Research on AI-Enabled Personalized Intelligent Teaching
- Research on the Application of AIGC in Online Teaching Scenarios
- Research on the Curriculum Construction of Home Economics Major
- Research on the Evaluation of International Faculty & Students Exchange Programs
- International Comparative Study on the Transformation of Green Lifestyles
You can also choose other topics for your research proposal.
Application document requirements
- A professional letter of recommendation from the head of the home institution (President, Rector, Chancellor or Vice Chancellor)
- A recent photo (passport size) of the applicant
- A scanned photo of the passport (for VISA application)
Financial Information
SOU will provide the following for the fellowship:
- Hotel accommodation
- Workspace with Wi-Fi, telephone and the Internet access
- Transportation for the arranged on-site visit within Shanghai
Visiting scholars or their home institutions will be expected to cover：
- A round-trip air ticket between their home country and Shanghai, China
- Living expense & another related personal expenses in Shanghai
Please be noticed that all the financial support comes from governmental program funds.
Required Health Insurance
All fellows are required to show proof of health insurance for the entire length of their stay. This health insurance must meet specified minimum levels of coverage (Please send us the copy via email when you apply or bring it in person when you attend the program). Fellows who bring health insurance from their home country must bring a copy of the complete policy in English. If these conditions are not met, they must purchase health insurance in China.
Fellows’ Activities and Responsibilities
The nominated candidates should keep regular electronic contact with SOU to inform the visa application process and travel plans. SOU will provide a formal Invitation Letter for visa purposes, but not responsible for obtaining visas for the selected fellows.
SOU reserves the right to cancel any fellowship offer if full visa and travel plans have not been successfully completed.
- The fellows will visit and meet with relevant departments and facilities in Shanghai Open University.
- The fellows must conduct their proposed research.
- The fellows are to give a presentation based on their research conducted during their stay at SOU. This presentation will also include an introduction of their own institution.
- The fellows will submit a final report (minimum 3000 words) on the outcome of the research to SOU within 30 days at the conclusion of the program.
- The fellows will also be required to complete a feedback form on the quality of the Visiting Scholar Program.
How to Apply?
You can send the required application documents to the email：tanghf@sou.edu.cn
AND refer to the following link: https://lowcode-0g58tglcc773fde0-1259223015.tcloudbaseapp.com/app-89xew4p5/production/visitor to complete the online application
Contact details:
Ms. Dorothy Tang
Email: tanghf@sou.edu.cn, or tanghf0901@163.com
Telephone: +86 21 2565 3412
Fax: +86 21 25653267
Mobile: +86 13671627400
Mail Address: The Institute of International Exchange of SOU, Room 402, Building No.1
288 Guoshun Road
Shanghai, China, 200433
Further Information
Shanghai Open University website: http://global.sou.edu.cn/
SOU’s Institute of International Exchange’s website: http://iie.sou.edu.cn