This study takes the Chemical Engineering and Technology program at Yunnan Open University as the research object and addresses the persistent problem of a low pass rate in the degree English examination among students in this program. Through systematic investigation and attribution analysis, the study explores the influencing factors in depth and proposes corresponding improvement strategies. The results indicate that the causes of the low pass rate are mainly distributed across four dimensions. At the student level, prominent issues include conflicts between work and study, weak English foundations, and insufficient learning motivation. At the teaching level, the alignment between course content and the discipline is inadequate, and teaching methods lack targeted effectiveness. At the support level, learning resources are not precisely matched to students’ needs, and process-oriented support mechanisms are underdeveloped. At the assessment level, evaluation methods are relatively singular, with limited incentive and supervisory functions. To effectively address the degree English examination as a critical bottleneck in the degree-awarding process and to overcome the “last mile” challenge, this paper proposes multidimensional improvement pathways. These include optimizing the curriculum system and teaching models to strengthen the integration of English with chemical engineering content; enhancing learning process support and services through the establishment of personalized tutoring mechanisms; developing precise and modularized degree English learning resources; improving incentive, assessment, and supervision systems to stimulate students’ learning initiative; strengthening guidance and goal management to raise students’ awareness of the importance of degree English; promoting personalized learning services supported by information technology; and implementing diversified, process-oriented evaluation systems. Through these comprehensive measures, the study aims to effectively enhance students’ degree English examination competence and pass rates, thereby promoting continuous improvement and sustainable development in the quality of talent cultivation in chemical engineering programs within open education.

Longjiang Liu, Pengzhi Xiang, Seng Hua Lee. Exploring Pathways to Improve the Pass Rate of English Proficiency in Open Education for Chemical Engineering and Technology Bachelor's Degrees: A Case Study of Yunnan Open University. Frontiers in Educational Research (2025), Vol. 8, Issue 12: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2025.081201.

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