The Development of China’s RTV Universities Under the Condition of Network Environment: A Case Report of a Pilot Project in Jiangsu RTVU

The Jiangsu Radio TV University (Jiangsu RTVU) initiated a research and developmental project, called The Pilot Project of Talents Training Mode Reform and Open Education in 1999 to find a way for China s Radio and TV universities to upgrade their distance education delivery mode from the second generation to the third generation. The third generation delivery mode is based on the newly developed information technology (IT) network, thus further increasing the access of the distance education programme to increasing numbers of adults in this populous country, and to meet the country s demand for a more knowledge-based and creative skills economy. The project has been carried out successfully in the past years, and has resulted in several developmental aspects, such as the construction of the basic framework of the skills training programme under the network environment, the mechanism for teaching, learning and management, and the learning support system and the quality monitoring and controlling system. As such, this paper gives a general introduction of this project, with some analysis and discussion. The experiences and constraints faced would be a valuable reference for the establishment of the lifelong learning programme in a network world both in China as well as in other parts of the world.