National Conference Sparks Wave of Ideological-Political Courses Reform Across Chinese Universities

In early February 2026, the National Conference on Advancing Ideological and Political Theory Course Construction in Universities during the New Era convened in Beijing, marking a pivotal moment for higher education in China. This gathering emphasized the urgent need to strengthen ideological and political theory courses—commonly referred to as 'si zheng ke' or思政课—these are mandatory classes focusing on Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and particularly Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The conference highlighted how evolving student environments and characteristics in the new era demand innovative approaches to these courses, ensuring they remain relevant and impactful.

The centerpiece was the introduction of the 'New Era University Ideological and Political Theory Course Scheme' (《新时代高校思政课课程方案》), a strategic document from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). This scheme aims to build a robust curriculum system centered on Xi Jinping Thought, foster a high-caliber teaching workforce, and boost the courses' appeal and effectiveness. Universities were urged to integrate the latest Party innovations into education, transforming theoretical advancements into practical tools for moral education and talent cultivation.

This national directive aligns with longstanding efforts to embed ideological-political education throughout higher education, responding to rapid societal changes like digitalization and globalization that influence student mindsets. By standardizing yet innovating course structures, the scheme seeks to synchronize思政课 construction with the Party's theoretical arming, ensuring universities produce graduates who are not only technically proficient but also ideologically steadfast.

Harbin Institute of Technology Responds with High-Level Symposium

Just one week after the national conference, on February 9, 2026, Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT)—a prestigious C9 League university renowned for engineering and aerospace excellence—convened a symposium to implement the conference spirit. Held at the main campus in Harbin with sub-venues at Weihai and Shenzhen campuses, the event underscored HIT's commitment to leading reforms in ideological-political courses.

Party Secretary Chen Jie chaired the meeting and delivered keynote remarks, joined by President Han Jiecái, who also spoke. Vice Presidents Shen Yi, Huang Yudong, and Liu Jian attended and shared insights. Marxism College leaders presented HIT's preliminary implementation plan, while representatives from various units discussed practical steps.

The symposium's structure was methodical: Vice President Shen Yi first conveyed the scheme's essence, followed by the college's overview, lively exchanges, and leadership directives. This multi-campus format ensured unified action across HIT's nationwide network, reflecting the university's 'one university, three campuses' model.

For those interested in faculty positions at institutions like HIT, where ideological-political education roles are expanding, opportunities abound in specialized teaching and research. Explore openings at higher-ed-jobs/faculty or lecturer-jobs to contribute to this vital area.

Leadership Directives: Grasping the Scheme's New Context and Demands

Chen Jie and Han Jiecái emphasized profoundly understanding the scheme's timeliness, systematic nature, and practicality. They called on educators to embody President Xi Jinping's 'six musts' for思政课 teachers: politically strong, deeply affectionate, innovative in thinking, broad in vision, strictly self-disciplined, and upright in character. These qualities are essential for transmitting knowledge, ideas, and truth while shaping students' souls, lives, and futures.

Three key deployment areas were outlined:

• Deeply analyze the scheme's backdrop, identifying students' external challenges (e.g., information overload, cultural pluralism) and internal needs (e.g., aspirations for national rejuvenation), to craft growth-aligned思政 systems penetrating the entire learning process.
• Synchronize with Party theory updates, embedding Xi Jinping Thought into curricula and training plans, converting innovations into moral-shaping forces.
• Tailor strategies locally, enhancing top-level design, faculty building, reforms, and innovations to forge HIT-characteristic first-class Marxism colleges, disciplines, and 'big思政课' frameworks.

Unit heads pledged intensified research, resource coordination (leveraging HIT's 'red resources' like revolutionary history), small-to-big classroom linkages, and teacher team elevation for greater感染力 (感染力, appeal and感染力).

HIT's Preliminary Plan: Scientific Course Design and Resource Integration

The Marxism College unveiled HIT's initial scheme, prioritizing student-centric reforms. This involves rigorous surveys to tailor courses amid shifting youth landscapes—digital natives facing ideological tests require dynamic content that enlightens, moistens hearts, resolves doubts, and fosters consensus.

Resource orchestration stands out: HIT will excavate campus 'red resources'—sites tied to Party history and patriotism—and harness societal assets for seamless 'small classroom' (formal思政课) to 'big classroom' (experiential learning) transitions. Innovation drives teacher development, aiming for courses that captivate engineering-focused students at this tech powerhouse.

Historically, HIT has excelled here; since the 2016 National Higher Education Ideological Work Conference, it has integrated思政 across curricula, boosting student satisfaction. Aspiring思政 educators can find career guidance at higher-ed-career-advice/how-to-write-a-winning-academic-cv.

Adapting to New Era Student Realities: Challenges and Targeted Solutions

New era students, immersed in global info flows, exhibit diverse thoughts and high expectations. The scheme addresses this by mandating environment-aligned curricula, countering困惑 (puzzles) like value relativism with consensus-building content. HIT's approach: step-by-step research—surveys, data analysis, feedback loops—to design courses that resonate.

• Step 1: Assess external pressures (e.g., Western ideologies via social media).
• Step 2: Probe intrinsic desires (e.g., career-national synergy).
• Step 3: Iterate designs for full-process integration.

This ensures思政课 evolves from rote to transformative, vital for China's 40+ million college students.

Forging Elite Teacher Teams: The 'Six Musts' in Action

Teacher quality is the crux. Xi's 'six musts' guide HIT's faculty reforms: political strength via Party loyalty training; deep情怀 through patriotic immersion; innovative思维 with multimedia methods; broad视野 incorporating global insights sans dilution; strict自律 via ethics codes; upright人格 as role models.

HIT plans specialized training, interdisciplinary hires, and evaluations tying promotions to teaching impact. For professionals eyeing思政 roles, professor-jobs and higher-ed-jobs list China-focused positions.

Constructing the 'Big思政课' Ecosystem at HIT

The '大思政课' (da si zheng ke)—an all-encompassing system uniting formal courses, professional classes ('curriculum思政'), practices, and networks—is central. HIT leverages its strengths: aerospace heritage for patriotic cases, labs for theory-practice fusion.

Examples: Embedding Xi Thought in engineering ethics; field trips to revolutionary sites. This holistic model amplifies efficacy, preparing 'great engineers with socialist souls.'

HIT's Legacy in Ideological Education and Broader Chinese Reforms

HIT's efforts trace to 2016, with 'four grasps' elevating student work: leadership, integration, innovation, assessment. Nationally, reforms post-2016 and 2019 teacher symposiums have standardized hours (typically 13-16 credits undergrad), boosted quality via 'crea优行动' (excellence initiatives).

Stats: Student satisfaction rose from ~70% to 85%+ in pioneers. HIT exemplifies adaptation in STEM-heavy unis.

Implications for Higher Education Careers and Talent Development

Reforms demand more思政 faculty, creating jobs in teaching, research, admin. HIT's push signals national trend: universities hiring for 'red expertise.' Professionals can rate experiences at rate-my-professor or seek advice via higher-ed-career-advice.

Stakeholders—students gain clarity, faculty purpose, society cohesive talent.

Photo by Lison Zhao on Unsplash

Future Outlook: Innovative Breakthroughs on the Horizon

HIT eyes sustained advances: theory updates, digital tools (AI for personalization), evaluation metrics. Nationally, expect scheme rollouts by 2027, with exemplars like HIT leading. Challenges persist—balancing appeal with rigor—but solutions like hybrid teaching promise success.

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