On March 25, 2026, China's Ministry of Education (MOE) announced the release of the first batch of 100 typical cases in ideological and political education for schools in the new era. This initiative marks a significant step in advancing the high-quality development of moral education engineering (立德树人工程), providing educators with a replicable "toolbox" of innovative practices. While the cases span primary, secondary, and higher education, a substantial portion—over 70—come from universities and colleges, underscoring their pivotal role in fostering socialist values, patriotism, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era among the nation's youth.
Ideological and political education, often abbreviated as "si zheng" education in Chinese (思想政治教育), is a cornerstone of the country's education system. In higher education institutions, it integrates into curricula, campus culture, and daily life to cultivate students' moral character, political awareness, and sense of mission. This release responds to calls for more effective, engaging methods amid rapid societal changes, digital transformation, and global challenges.
The Five Key Categories and University Contributions
The 100 cases are organized into five categories aligned with national priorities for moral education reform:
- Comprehensive Reform of Moral Education Mechanisms (23 cases): Focuses on school-family-society collaboration and psychological health support. Universities like Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Fudan University lead with models integrating party building, career guidance, and safety systems.
- Main Classroom for the Party's Innovative Theory (14 cases): Emphasizes teaching Xi Jinping Thought through lectures, cultural resources, and student-led preaching. Renmin University of China and Tsinghua exemplify with "decoding-activation-inheritance" mechanisms.
- Practice Classroom for Great Changes in the New Era (26 cases): Highlights experiential learning via community governance, medical service teams, and cultural immersion. Institutions such as China Agricultural University and Nankai University showcase tech small yards and "four-same" (师生四同) paradigms.
- New Network Education Classroom in the Digital Era (20 cases): Leverages AI, online platforms, and media for theory dissemination. Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications and Northeastern University demonstrate "融媒 + 思政" (integrated media + ideological politics).
- Key Breakthroughs in Teacher Teams and Grassroots Organizations (17 cases): Builds counselor teams and party branches. Tianjin University and Northeast Normal University offer engineering-driven counselor development.
Beijing institutions dominate with 21 cases, followed by provinces like Shanghai and Jiangsu. Elite "Double First-Class" universities contribute disproportionately, reflecting their leadership in innovation.
Spotlight on Elite University Cases: Tsinghua and Peking University
Tsinghua University features prominently with cases like "Deepening the Guide-Study-Politics Work System with Innovative Drive" in teacher teams and "Nail-It-Down Spirit in Ideological Course Reform." These emphasize rigorous implementation, student engagement through seminars, and integration of cutting-edge tech like VR simulations for Party history education. Tsinghua's approaches have reportedly boosted student satisfaction by 25% in internal surveys, setting benchmarks for national rollout.
Peking University highlights "Thick Soil, Hundred Flowers: Distinctive Cultural Education System," blending traditional Chinese culture with modern practice. Their model fosters a campus ecosystem where students participate in cultural festivals and research projects on national rejuvenation, aligning theory with real-world application.
Other standouts include Fudan University's "Four-Circle Linkage" for theory education and Shanghai Jiao Tong University's psychological ecosystem, which uses AI-driven counseling to support mental health amid academic pressures.
Innovative Practices Revolutionizing University Si Zheng Education
Universities are pioneering digital tools in category four. For instance, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications' "经天纬地立德树人" (Guiding Heaven and Earth in Moral Education) uses network simulations to teach cybersecurity ethics tied to national security. Northeast University's "Yuren Xingbang" integrates media production, where students create propaganda videos, enhancing creativity and ideological alignment.
In practice-based learning, China Agricultural University's "解民生治学问育英才" (Solving People's Livelihood, Governing Scholarship, Cultivating Talents) deploys tech small yards—rural research stations where students apply agritech solutions while learning socialist modernization narratives. Over 10,000 students have participated since inception, yielding patents and poverty alleviation impacts.Full case details (MOE PDF)
Counselor team building at Tianjin University implements four engineering projects: training, assessment, incentives, and support, elevating their role from administrators to ideological mentors. This has improved student retention and party membership applications by 15%.
Photo by Gio Almonte on Unsplash
Statistics and Impacts on Chinese Higher Education
China boasts over 3,000 higher education institutions with 47 million students. Si Zheng courses are mandatory, comprising 16% of credits in undergraduates. The MOE reports that innovative practices like these cases have increased course satisfaction from 85% in 2020 to 92% in 2025. Universities implementing similar models see 20-30% rises in student political engagement metrics, per national surveys.
Challenges persist: digital divides in rural colleges and balancing innovation with orthodoxy. These cases address them via scalable templates, potentially standardizing best practices nationwide by 2030.
Stakeholder Perspectives: Educators and Students Weigh In
University leaders praise the cases for providing "menu-style" options adaptable to local contexts. A Fudan professor noted, "These aren't rigid mandates but flexible inspirations fusing tradition with tech." Students at Renmin University appreciate practice components: "Visiting revolutionary sites made abstract theory tangible."
Experts from the Chinese Academy of Education Sciences highlight long-term benefits: enhanced national cohesion amid global tensions. Critics, however, call for more evaluation data to measure true ideological shifts versus superficial compliance.
Implications for Global Higher Education Comparisons
While unique to China's system, parallels exist in civic education worldwide. U.S. universities emphasize liberal arts for democracy; Europe's focus on EU values. China's model stands out for top-down standardization with bottom-up innovation, potentially influencing Belt and Road partner nations' curricula.
Future Outlook and Actionable Insights
MOE plans annual batches, aiming for 500 cases by 2030. Universities should prioritize digital integration and interdisciplinary teams. Actionable steps: audit current si zheng programs against cases, pilot one practice-based module per semester, train counselors via MOE platforms.
For educators: Leverage category three's experiential methods to boost engagement. Administrators: Foster party branch-student synergies as in category five. This release positions Chinese higher education as a global leader in value-based instruction.
Photo by Rafik Wahba on Unsplash
Deep Dive: Selected University Case Studies
Tsinghua's Reform Innovation: Step-by-step: 1) Syllabus redesign with case studies from Xi era; 2) Student teams develop multimedia resources; 3) Assessment via projects, not exams. Result: 95% ideological mastery rate.
China Agricultural U's Tech Yards: Students live in villages, solve ag issues using AI/drones, report learnings tied to rural revitalization. Over 500 patents, direct poverty aid to 100k farmers.
More cases from Shanghai Jiao Tong, Hunan U, etc., illustrate cultural fusion, safety nets, and network paradigms—each adding depth to holistic education.
