Wang Yuanyuan

    cheekywang@hotmail.com

    A lifetime learning program will be launched in the city from October 27 to November 2, the city’s education bureau said on Friday.

    Free training courses, lectures and education exhibitions will be held.

    Students are encouraged to participate in training courses to gain experience and improve their social skills.

    More than 700 education organizations will be invited to give free training.

    A learning city instruction service center and a lifetime education learning Web site will also open this month, offering an education service platform to residents and students.

    The center and the Web site are under the administration of Shenzhen Open University and all the learning materials are provided by the university. Training courses will also be offered to residents through the Web site.

    Residents can register at the Web site and gain credit through training courses. The university will issue certificates to those who pass the relevant examinations.

    All courses offered at the Web site are free, the education bureau said.

    The bureau also plans to build an “education supermarket,” exploring the online education system to help residents access courses and lectures much more easily.

    The program was first launched in the city in 2005 and will continue to expand.