From June 12th to 13th, the opening ceremony for Guangdong's 2026 Lifelong Learning Week was held in Guangzhou, centered on the theme of making learning an integral part of daily life. The event also marked the official launch of the Guangdong Lifelong Learning Platform, which is accessible via mini-program, mobile app, and official service accounts.

The construction of a learning-oriented society has been designated as a major strategic initiative for the province's 15th Five-Year Plan period. In recent years, with the goal of enabling seamless online learning and intelligent study support, Guangdong has established its comprehensive lifelong learning platform. It has introduced distinctive programs such as "Study in Southern Guangdong," "Dream Fulfillment Plan," "Rider Academy," and "Civilization Night School" to provide practical and accessible learning services for diverse groups.

Upon accessing the platform, users find sections dedicated to ideological education, technical skills, and learning for seniors, among others. The platform aggregates resources from universities, vocational colleges, community education centers, and senior universities. Its initial launch featured 122 courses covering areas like rural e-commerce and artificial intelligence, with the total number of high-quality courses exceeding 600. Currently, registered users have surpassed 250,000. "The platform is already integrated with Guangdong's unified identity authentication system," said Liu Wenqing, President of the Open University of Guangdong. "Future plans include gradually consolidating major learning platforms across the province. This will allow users to access different platforms with a single login, eliminating the hassle of repeated registrations and sign-ins, thereby significantly enhancing learning convenience."

Where to start

While the platform addresses the question of "where to learn," a deeper transformation is answering the question of "how learning achievements are recognized."

In the past, a training certificate, an on-the-job practical session, or a skills assessment were often isolated experiences. Now in Guangdong, each learner can open a lifelong account to "deposit" these competencies, much like saving money, converting them into credits that can be stored, exchanged, and mutually recognized.

Building a credit system

Guangdong began exploring the concept of a "credit bank" over a decade ago. This system has now matured, supported by the issuance of documents on credit recognition and conversion, as well as the management of continuing education programs. The framework clarifies the collaborative roles and responsibilities across 28 member units, including departments for education, human resources, and culture and tourism. It incorporates vocational skill levels, industry training, and competition awards into the recognition scope, creating a closed loop where "learning is recorded, outcomes can be banked, and credits are exchangeable."

The Guangdong Lifelong Education Credit Bank continues to break down barriers between academic education, vocational training, and informal learning outcomes. Furthermore, through digital transformation, the Credit Bank has been integrated with the Lifelong Learning Platform. Since August 2025, learners can instantly create a lifelong learning account using QR code scanning or facial recognition.

Expanding recognition across the Greater Bay Area

The reach of this "recognition for learning" system is extending into the Greater Bay Area. Pan Meiyi, Director of the Guangdong Lifelong Education Credit Bank Management Center, noted that substantive progress has been made in aligning Guangdong and Hong Kong qualification frameworks. Hong Kong has established its first Credit Bank service point, with seven Hong Kong courses now included in Guangdong's Lifelong Education Qualifications Directory. Currently, 25 teachers and students from Hong Kong College have taken the pioneering step of obtaining mainland lifelong learning accounts, marking a crucial move towards integrated learner accounts between Guangdong and Hong Kong.