The establishment of Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Open Distance Education was approved by Shanghai Science and Technology Commission on Sep.30th, 2013. As an integral part of Shanghai R&D Base, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Open Distance Education is one of the main forces to empower the scientific and technological innovation ability of Shanghai. Supported by Shanghai Open University, the Center aims to build Shanghai into a learning-oriented society and construct a life-long education system in Shanghai.

The Center pays great attention to the research on “distance learning service, digital experiment technology and digital learning& practicing environment” and focuses on the construction, application and promotion of open distance education demonstration platform to carry out studies related to distance education. Through joint collaborations with universities, enterprises, research institutions and other relevant research disciplines, the Center carries out studies on integrated innovation in an effort to realize in-depth integration of information technology and open distance education. The engineering research center has four research directions: Namely, open and distance learning platforms, open digital experiment environment, open integrated system for learning resources and electronic schoolbag and support service system for learning environment.