The Fundamental Guiding Principles and Practical Pathways for Building a Strong Education Country in the New Era

When education thrives, the nation thrives; when education is strong, the nation is strong. Building a strong education country places education at the overall strategic height of national rejuvenation, using the strength of education to consolidate the foundation of national prosperity. In September 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the National Education Conference, which, grounded in China’s actual conditions and targeting the needs of the times and the international situation, scientifically elucidated the basic goals, strategic tasks, and major measures for building a strong education country. The *Education Strong Country Construction Plan Outline (2024–2035)*, issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, sets the strategic goal of building a strong education country by 2035. The June 1, 2025, issue of *Qiushi* journal published an important article by General Secretary Xi Jinping, “Accelerating the Building of a Strong Education Country,” which systematically expounds the strategic goals, core tasks, and practical pathways for building a strong education country. This series of important expositions provides the fundamental guiding principles and points out the practical pathways for building a strong education country in the New Era.

教育兴则国家兴，教育强则国家强。教育强国建设将教育置于民族复兴的全局高度，以教育之强夯实国家富强之基。2024年9月，习近平总书记在全国教育大会上发表重要讲话，立足中国实际、瞄准时代需要和国际形势，科学阐释了教育强国建设的基本目标、战略任务和重大举措。中共中央、国务院印发的《教育强国建设规划纲要（2024—2035年）》提出2035年建成教育强国的战略目标。2025年6月1日出版的《求是》杂志发表了习近平总书记的重要文章《加快建设教育强国》，对教育强国建设的战略目标、核心任务与实践路径作了系统阐释。这一系列重要论述为新时代教育强国建设提供了根本遵循，指明了实践路径。

The Political Direction and Value Coordinates of Building a Strong Education Country

教育强国建设的政治方向与价值坐标

Uphold the overall leadership of the Party and keep the political direction of building a strong education country on course. What kind of people to cultivate, how to cultivate them, and for whom to cultivate them are the fundamental questions that must be answered in building a strong education country. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “Our education must take cultivating builders and successors of socialism as its fundamental task.” This important exposition clarifies the fundamental attribute of our country’s education. We must take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our guide, implement the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education [1]1 Fostering virtue through education (立德树人) is a core concept in Chinese educational policy, emphasizing moral character development as the foundation of talent cultivation., and ensure that the education sector always maintains a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee. Implement the Party’s educational principles and policies, persist in educating people for the Party and cultivating talent for the country, and ensure the socialist orientation of running schools. Strengthen the construction of ideological positions, uphold the guiding role of Marxism in the field of ideology, and promote the integration of core socialist values into the entire process of education. Strengthen ideological security in the education sector, prevent and resolve risks in the education field, resist various erroneous ideological trends, and strive to cultivate builders and successors of socialism.

坚持党的全面领导，把准教育强国建设的政治方向。培养什么人、怎样培养人、为谁培养人是教育强国建设必须回答的根本问题。习近平总书记强调，“我们的教育必须把培养社会主义建设者和接班人作为根本任务”。这一重要论述明确了我国教育的根本属性。我们要以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，落实立德树人根本任务，确保教育领域始终同党中央保持高度一致。贯彻党的教育方针政策，坚持为党育人、为国育才，确保社会主义办学方向。强化意识形态阵地建设，坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，推动社会主义核心价值观融入教育全过程。强化教育领域意识形态安全，防范化解教育领域风险，抵御各种错误思潮，努力培养社会主义建设者和接班人。

Adhere to the people’s standpoint, serve national strategic needs, and promote the comprehensive development of individuals. Implement the people-centered concept of educational development, gradually narrow the urban-rural gap and regional disparities, ensure that every child has access to high-quality educational resources, and promote social fairness and justice through educational equity. Improve the systems of inclusive preschool education, balanced compulsory education, diversified high school education, high-quality higher education, and lifelong education to meet the people’s diverse demands for a better education. Align with the strategies of building a strong science and technology country and a strong talent country, optimize the layout of academic disciplines, and cultivate innovative, composite, and application-oriented talent. Promote the close integration of application-oriented talent cultivation and vocational education with industrial needs, and enhance the supporting role of education for economic and social development. Building a strong education country must both serve national strategic needs and respond to individual development demands. Through institutional innovation, technological empowerment, and social synergy, construct an educational ecosystem with Chinese characteristics and world-class standards, achieving the goal of “education empowering the comprehensive development of individuals.”

坚守人民立场，服务国家战略需求和促进人的全面发展。贯彻落实以人民为中心的教育发展观，逐步缩小城乡差距和区域差距，让每个孩子享有优质教育资源，以教育公平促进社会公平正义。完善普惠性学前教育、均衡化义务教育、多样化高中教育、高质量高等教育和终身教育体系，满足人民对美好教育的多元需求。对接科技强国、人才强国战略，优化学科布局，培养创新型、复合型、应用型人才。推动应用型人才培养、职业教育与产业需求紧密结合，增强教育对经济社会发展的支撑力。教育强国建设既要服务国家战略需求，也要回应个体发展诉求。通过制度创新、技术赋能和社会协同，构建具有中国特色、世界水平的教育生态，实现“教育赋能人的全面发展”的目标。

Adhere to a global perspective and contribute Chinese educational wisdom to building a community with a shared future for mankind. Education is an important force driving the progress of human civilization. Looking to the future, guided by the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China will vigorously promote high-level opening up of education, actively participate in global education governance, and promote the development of educational poverty reduction from a “Chinese solution” to a “global action.” In recent years, China’s National Smart Education Platform has opened courses to countries of the Global South, narrowing the global digital divide through digital education, assisting talent cultivation in developing countries, and promoting global educational equity.

坚持全球视野，为构建人类命运共同体贡献中国教育智慧。教育是推动人类文明进步的重要力量。面向未来，中国将在构建人类命运共同体理念指引下，大力推进高水平教育对外开放，积极参与全球教育治理，推动教育减贫从“中国方案”向“全球行动”发展。近年来，中国国家智慧教育平台向“全球南方”国家开放课程，通过数字教育缩小全球数字鸿沟，助力发展中国家人才培养，促进全球教育公平。

Practical Pathways for Constructing a High-Quality Education System

构建高质量教育体系的实践路径

Create a new high ground for independent talent cultivation. Building a strong education country is a scientific decision made by the Party and the state based on the laws of historical development and national conditions, and it is an inevitable requirement for realizing the Two Centenary Goals [2]2 The Two Centenary Goals (两个一百年) refer to the goals of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the centenary of the CPC in 2021, and building China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious by the centenary of the PRC in 2049. and the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To build a strong education country, we must directly confront the epochal proposition of “why build a strong education country, what kind of strong education country to build, and how to build a strong education country.” The coordinated advancement of education, science and technology, and talent as a “trinity” is an important driving force for building a strong education country. Higher education institutions, as important carriers for carrying out educational activities, scientific research and development, and talent cultivation, must continuously deepen reforms, establish dynamic adjustment mechanisms that align with national strategic needs, and optimize the setup of academic disciplines and specialties. Innovate cultivation models to form multi-disciplinary cross-training programs that integrate general and specialized education and cross boundaries. Promote reform of the evaluation system, establishing evaluation standards oriented towards innovation value. Higher education institutions should, through a good innovation ecosystem and policy synergy, become a “gravitational field” attracting talent, a “constellation platform” cultivating innovation, and construct a “full-chain” innovation ecosystem, creating a new high ground for talent.

打造人才自主培养新高地。教育强国建设是党和国家基于历史发展规律和国情作出的科学决策，是实现“两个一百年”奋斗目标、实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的必然要求。建设教育强国，必须直面“为什么要建设教育强国，建设什么样的教育强国，怎样建设教育强国”这个时代命题。教育、科技、人才“三位一体”协同推进是教育强国建设的重要动力。高校作为开展教育活动、科技研发和人才培养的重要载体，要不断深化改革，建立与国家战略需求对接的动态调整机制，优化学科专业设置。创新培养模式，形成“通专融合、跨界培养”的多学科交叉培养方案。推动评价体系改革，建立以创新价值为导向的评价标准。高校应通过良好的创新生态与政策形成合力，成为吸引人才的“引力场”，培育创新的“星链台”，构建“全链条式”的创新生态，打造人才新高地。

Enhance the function of education, science and technology innovation as a source of policy. Building a strong education country must focus on original innovation achievements in key areas “from 0 to 1.” Leverage the advantages of scientific research institutes in concentrating scientific and educational talent, “strengthen the supporting role of education for science and technology and talent,” strive to open up the complete innovation chain of basic research, key technology breakthroughs, achievement transformation, and industrial application, and continuously consolidate the foundation of the capacity to serve as a source of scientific and technological innovation policy. Promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, precisely cover the entire chain from innovation R&D to application, promote intelligent and high-end industrial development, and lead the development of new quality productive forces through scientific and technological innovation. Leverage the scientific and technological talent advantages of higher education institutions, and make new and greater contributions to building a strong education country and a strong science and technology country with high standards and strict requirements.

增强教育科技创新策源功能。教育强国建设必须聚焦关键领域“从0到1”的原创性创新成果。发挥科研院所科教人才富集的优势，“强化教育对科技和人才的支撑作用”，着力打通基础研究、关键技术突破、成果转化、产业运用这一完整创新链条，持续夯实科技创新策源能力底座。推动科技创新与产业创新深度融合，精准覆盖从创新研发到应用的全链条，推动产业智能化、高端化发展，以科技创新引领新质生产力发展。发挥高校科技人才优势，以高标准、严要求为教育强国、科技强国建设作出新的更大贡献。

Strengthen open and cooperative schooling to construct a high-quality education system. Constructing a high-quality education system requires promoting supply-side structural reform in education with systematic thinking, focusing on the four dimensions of “fairness, efficiency, innovation, and openness.” General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to deeply promote the opening up of education, coordinate “bringing in” and “going global,” and continuously enhance the international influence, competitiveness, and discourse power of China’s education. International cooperation is a key driving force for constructing a high-quality education system; it can promote the optimal allocation of educational resources, improve the level of global education governance, enhance innovation competitiveness, and realize a dynamic cycle of “input—integration—output.” Through various forms such as the circulation of outstanding talent, the sharing of educational resources, and the mutual learning of educational concepts, optimize the supply of education, improve educational quality, and enhance the international influence of China’s education and its attractiveness to international students. Along with the advancement of building a strong education country, China’s education will present itself to the world in a more proactive, open, and confident posture.

强化开放合作办学，构建高质量教育体系。构建高质量教育体系要以系统思维推进教育供给侧结构性改革，聚焦“公平、效能、创新、开放”四个维度。习近平总书记强调，要深入推动教育对外开放，统筹“引进来”和“走出去”，不断提升我国教育的国际影响力、竞争力和话语权。国际合作是构建高质量教育体系的关键驱动力，能够促进教育资源优化配置、提升全球教育治理水平、增强创新竞争力，实现“输入—融合—输出”的动态循环。通过优秀人才的流通、教育资源的共享、教育理念的互鉴等多种形式优化教育供给，提升教育质量，增强中国教育的国际影响力以及对国际学生的吸引力。伴随教育强国建设的推进，中国教育将以更主动、更开放、更自信的姿态呈现在全世界面前。

Perfecting the Support System for Building a Strong Education Country

完善教育强国建设的支撑体系

Break deep-seated barriers through institutional and mechanism innovation. Building a strong education country requires breaking deep-seated institutional and mechanism obstacles through reform and innovation, and breaking down institutional and mechanism barriers. Promote the modernization of the education governance system, deepen reforms in key areas such as evaluation mechanisms, resource allocation, and the structure of the school system. Improve the construction of university charters, advance the reform of “delegating power, improving regulation, and upgrading services” [3]3 “Delegating power, improving regulation, and upgrading services” (放管服) is a shorthand for administrative reform aimed at streamlining government approval, strengthening oversight, and improving public services., and construct a multi-participation mechanism. Tell China’s education story well, export high-quality educational resources, form a new pattern of open cooperation, and enhance the level of international schooling.

体制机制创新破除深层壁垒。教育强国建设需以改革创新破除深层次体制机制障碍，打破体制机制壁垒。推动教育治理体系现代化，深化评价机制、资源配置、学制结构等关键领域改革。完善大学章程建设，推进“放管服”改革，构建多元参与机制。讲好中国教育故事，输出优质教育资源，形成开放合作新格局并提升国际办学水平。

Promote the deep integration of digitalization and education. Artificial intelligence and digitalization are the trends of the times and will promote the reconstruction of the educational ecosystem. Promote the implementation of application scenarios such as AI teaching assistants and virtual laboratories, and personalize the adaptation of learning needs. Through the application of big data in education, establish student growth profiles, and optimize teaching strategies through data analysis. Use digital means to issue early warnings of imbalances in the allocation of educational resources and assist in scientific decision-making. Support cutting-edge technological breakthroughs, support research in fields such as brain science and learning science, and promote the collaborative innovation of educational theory and technology.

推进数字化与教育深度融合。人工智能、数字化是时代发展的趋势所在，并将推进教育生态重构。推动AI助教、虚拟实验室等应用场景落地，个性化适配学习需求。通过教育大数据应用建立学生成长档案，通过数据分析优化教学策略。借助数字化手段预警教育资源分配失衡问题，辅助科学决策。支持前沿技术攻关，支持脑科学、学习科学等领域研究，推动教育理论与技术协同创新。

Strengthen the construction of the teaching workforce to provide talent support for building a strong education system. Teachers are the foundational guarantee and the primary resource for building a strong education system. It is necessary to optimize pre-service teacher training, improve the in-service training system, refine the teacher education system, and ensure teachers’ professional development. Leverage the guiding role of the spirit of educators, promote the integration of this spirit into the entire process of teacher training and development, and embed it into all aspects of classroom teaching, scientific research, and social practice. In the digital era, a tracking system for teachers’ digital capabilities should be established, training resources should be intelligently matched, and smart teaching abilities should be empowered at different levels. Improve the system of teacher status and honor incentives, enhance teachers’ sense of belonging, and attract outstanding talent to commit to long-term teaching careers. Educators themselves should, with the mission and responsibility of “cultivating the field of education, strengthening the nation through my efforts,” transform the blueprint for building a strong education system into vivid practice rooted in Chinese soil, providing fundamental and strategic support for Chinese-path modernization.

加强师资队伍建设，为教育强国建设提供人才支持。教师是教育强国的基础保障，是教育强国建设的第一资源。要优化教师职前培养，完善职后培训体系，健全教师教育体系，保障教师专业发展。发挥教育家精神的引领作用，推动教育家精神融入教师培养培训全过程，贯穿课堂教学、科学研究、社会实践各环节。数字时代，应建立教师数字能力追踪系统，智能匹配培训资源，分层赋能智慧教学能力。完善教师地位和荣誉激励制度，增强教师的归属感，吸引优秀人才长期从教。教育者亦当以“躬耕教坛、强国有我”的使命担当，将教育强国蓝图转化为扎根中国大地的生动实践，为中国式现代化提供基础性、战略性支撑。

Build a high-quality institutional mechanism for the integration of industry and education. The integration of industry and education is an important pillar for building a strong education system. Its core lies in breaking down barriers between education and industry, promoting precise alignment between the supply side of talent cultivation and the demand side of industry, constructing a collaborative community for school-enterprise talent cultivation, and forming an ecological system that integrates the “education chain—talent chain—industry chain—innovation chain” to solve development challenges. Enhance scientific and technological innovation capabilities, promote joint research between universities and enterprises, accelerate the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, form an integrated innovation system of “production, education, research, and application,” and serve breakthroughs in key areas of technology.

构建高质量产教融合体制机制。产教融合是教育强国建设的重要支撑，核心在于打破教育与产业壁垒，推动人才培养供给侧与产业需求侧精准对接，构建校企协同育人共同体，形成“教育链—人才链—产业链—创新链”四链融合的生态体系，破解发展难题。增强科技创新能力，促进高校与企业联合攻关，加速科技成果转化，形成“产学研用”一体化创新体系，服务关键领域技术突破。

Building a strong education system in the New Era is a systematic and historical project. It is necessary to unleash vitality through institutional innovation, reshape the ecosystem through the digital revolution, and expand the landscape with a global perspective. We must transform educational advantages into talent advantages, scientific and technological advantages, and development advantages, thereby consolidating the foundation and empowering the momentum for Chinese-path modernization.

新时代教育强国建设是一项系统性、历史性工程，要以制度创新释放活力，以数字革命重塑生态，以全球视野开拓格局。我们要将教育优势转化为人才优势、科技优势、发展优势，为中国式现代化筑牢根基、蓄势赋能。

(The author is Dean and Professor of the College of Science and Technology, Ningbo University)

（作者系宁波大学科学技术学院院长、教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心