The Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), a premier regional network for open and distance education in Asia, successfully held its 38th Annual Conference in Beijing, China, from 20 to 23 October 2025. Hosted by the Open University of China (OUC), the event centered on the theme “Transforming ODL for a Sustainable Lifelong Learning Society.
At the Opening Ceremony, Dr. Ren Youqun, Vice Minister of Education of China, delivered keynote remarks. He emphasized China’s commitment to building a learning society through the implementation of a national digital education strategy, aiming to create a “ubiquitous and accessible lifelong learning system.” He reaffirmed that China is ready to deepen all-round and multi-dimensional cooperation with AAOU members to jointly promote the digital transformation and intelligent upgrading of education, and to contribute Asian wisdom to building an open, inclusive, and sustainable lifelong learning society.
The conference featured keynote addresses, panel discussion, paper presentations, and workshop covering a wide range of topics, including digital education technologies, senior education and lifelong learning systems, innovative ODL models, quality assurance, and international cooperation. It brought together nearly 300 presidents, scholars and educators from open universities of more than 20 countries and regions in Asia, Europe and North America.
In parallel, the AAOU held its Executive Committee Meeting on 20 October and General Body Meeting on 22 October, where members discussed key matters such as membership development, collaborative research programs, financial report, quality assurance framework, and future conference arrangements. During the General Body Meeting, the Open University of China (OUC) was announced to assume the next Presidency of AAOU (2026-2028).
On the closing day, the conference also witnessed the release of the History of AAOU, a milestone publication that documents the Association’s four-decade journey in advancing open and distance education throughout the region. In addition, the Secretariat announced the winners of Young Innovator Award, Best Practice Award, Best Paper Award, and Meritorious Service Award, recognizing the outstanding contributions of individuals in promoting innovation and excellence in ODL.
With the successful conclusion of the 38th AAOU Annual Conference in Beijing, all participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation toward a sustainable lifelong learning society, and look forward to attending the next Annual Conference in the Philippines in 2026.