October 28, 32 delegates of UNESCO  Seminar on Education for Rural Development visited SOU to enhance ties,  13 were from African Countries including Ethiopia and Cameroon, 4 were from Asian countries such as Bangladesh and Laos. The seminar was co-organized by Academy of International Business Officials, MOFCOM and  UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education.  The delegates were mainly officials and scholars from the education sector of Africa and developing countries.

Professor Gu Xiaomin, the Vice President of SOU, introduced to the guests about SOU and its cooperation and exchanges on distance education with African open universities and international organizations in the past and expressed the hope of promoting the academic cooperation between SOU and universities of other countries.  The delegates also learnt about the rural area education program of SOU and its development. After the meeting, the delegates paid visit to Digital Lab of Open Learning of SOU and Community Education I-digital Experience center, the digital educational resources environment with cloud computing technology, the open learning tests and analysis and its innovative mode left them deep impression.