September 20th, 2021 marked the launch of Peking University’s Global Open Courses Program in partnership with a list of distinguished institutions, including Cornell University, The Australian National University, and Waseda University. In the past Fall semester, with the support of ClassIn technologies, close to 200 students from five continents enrolled in a total of 287 classes.

Wang Bo, Vice Principal of Peking University, believed that “The Online-Merge-Offline approach is not just a solution for learning in the pandemic but the new normal of education. With the program, PKU makes quality educational resources accessible to students across the globe…PKU will join hands with international partners to provide more OMO courses in the future.”

Other school leaders expressed similar wishes for long-term cooperation on OMO instruction. “The pandemic gave rise to the realization that we can benefit from technology-prompted academic resources sharing…and we hope to keep expanding collaboration in this regard,” according to Dorothy Kelly, Vice Principal of Universidad de Granada.

Dorothy Kelly, Vice Principal of Universidad de Granada, delivering remarks at the opening ceremony of the Global Open Courses Program

OMO learning, a method that incorporates hybrid technologies and open educational practices, has witnessed increasing adoption in K12 and higher ed institutions globally. Teaching Economics as part of the Global Open Courses Program, Professor Huang Yiping successfully engaged students in the classroom and those joining virtually with group discussions and activities.

“Our professor came up with eight topics for discussion, encouraging us to form groups with students overseas. And we have been keeping in close touch with students online as well,” Li Yipin, a student in Professor Huang’s class, reported.

For many, the program’s OMO courses placed vast learning resources within reach. Attending China and Africa: A Global Meeting with Professor Xu Liang, Peter of Waseda University described the experience as “eye-opening”. In particular, Peter enjoyed exploring emerging topics of International Relations and Politics in class.

Students attending classes of the Global Open Courses Program onsite at Peking University

With the OMO approach, students also observed shifting dynamics in the classroom, where learners themselves can play a bigger role. She Yixuan, a PKU student enrolling in the class Global Development Policies, reflected on how her peers inspired greater understanding of the subject matter.

“I’m impressed by the diverse cultures and educational backgrounds we can see in our interaction,” She commented on how international students of Linguistics, International Relations, and even Medicine came together for extensive group discussions.

An Online-Merge-Offline (OMO) class of China’s Commerce