Leveraging the Unique Role of Higher Education Institutions in Constructing China’s Independent Knowledge System

After General Secretary Xi Jinping explicitly put forward the requirement to

继习近平总书记在中国人民大学考察时明确提出“建构中国自主的知识体系”要求后，党的二十届三中全会再次强调“实施哲学社会科学创新工程，构建中国哲学社会科学自主知识体系”。建构中国自主的知识体系，是以习近平同志为核心的党中央站在统筹“两个大局”的高度，对我国哲学社会科学建设作出的战略部署，为加快构建与中国式现代化相匹配的中国特色哲学社会科学指明了发展方向、提供了根本遵循。高校作为我国哲学社会科学“五路大军”中的重要力量，具有学科齐全、文化积淀、人才储备的优势，肩负着基础理论创新、知识体系建设、对外话语传播的重要使命，必须站在推进教育强国建设、推动哲学社会科学繁荣发展的高度上，以坚定的文化自觉，聚焦知识生产、统筹规划、协同配合、传播推广，走出一条立足中国实践、诠释中国发展、展现中国形象的自主知识体系创新之路。

Undertake the Cultural Mission, Promote the Innovative Development of Philosophy and Social Sciences, and Serve the Construction of a Strong Educational Country

担当文化使命，推动哲学社会科学创新发展，服务教育强国建设

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the National Education Conference that “building a strong educational country is a long-cherished aspiration of the Chinese nation in modern times, and it is a pioneering task, a solid foundation, and a strategic support for comprehensively advancing the construction of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.” To comprehensively advance the construction of a strong educational country, it is necessary not only to achieve a leapfrog development in the natural sciences but also to promote the flourishing development of philosophy and social sciences. Constructing an independent knowledge system of China is both an important pathway for undertaking the new mission of building a strong cultural country in the New Era and an inevitable requirement for comprehensively advancing the construction of a strong educational country. China’s independent knowledge system embodies the humanistic spirit and ideological consciousness of the Chinese nation, manifests China’s will, China’s practice, and China’s culture, and reflects the ideological height, academic depth, and theoretical breadth of philosophy and social sciences. China in the New Era is undergoing the most extensive and

习近平总书记在全国教育大会上指出，“建成教育强国是近代以来中华民族梦寐以求的美好愿望，是实现以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业的先导任务、坚实基础、战略支撑”。全面推进教育强国建设，不仅要实现自然科学的飞跃式发展，也要推动哲学社会科学的繁荣发展。构建中国自主知识体系，既是担负新时代文化强国建设新使命的重要途径，也是全面推进教育强国建设的必然要求。中国自主知识体系凝结着中华民族的人文精神、思想意识，彰显着中国意志、中国实践、中国文化，反映了哲学社会科学的思想高度、学术深度和理论广度。新时代的中国正在经历着历史上最为广泛而深刻的社会变革，也正在进行着人类历史上最为宏大而独特的实践创新。习近平总书记深刻指出，“社会大变革的时代，一定是哲学社会科学大发展的时代”。新时代新发展新变革呼唤自主、原创、系统的知识体系。高校要主动回应时代关切，立足中国式现代化的实践创新进程，理清“何以建构自主知识体系、以何建构自主知识体系、如何建构自主知识体系”三大基础问题，把握自主知识体系建设的自主性、本土化以及科学性，关注自主知识体系建设的学科差异，聚焦“中国之路”、把握“中国之治”、阐释“中国之理”，将中国发展优势转化为话语优势，在服务中国式现代化中彰显担当作为，书写“强国建设、高校有为”的时代篇章。

Based on the “Two Observations,” Advance Theoretical Innovation, and Lead Original Knowledge Production

立足“两个观照”，推进理论创新，引领原创性知识生产

A knowledge system is a systematized, structured, and ordered whole of knowledge formed by a social subject on the basis of a deep-level understanding of objective things, their mutual relations, and inherent laws, using concepts, theories, categories, and other forms in a logically self-consistent, interrelated, and internally integrated manner. As a practical and regular expression of cognition and experience, the foundation for constructing an independent knowledge system lies in broad human social practice.

知识体系是社会主体在对客观事物以及彼此关系、内在规律的深层次认知基础之上，按照逻辑自洽、相互关联、内在一体的方法，采用概念、理论、范畴等形式而构成的体系化、结构化、有序化的知识整体。作为认识与经验的实践性与规律性表达，构建自主知识体系的基础是宏阔的人类社会实践。

Based on the “Two Observations,” take root in China’s soil, and construct academic thought and theoretical systems with Chinese characteristics. The “Two Observations” point both to the national imprint and practical source of knowledge production and creation, and also contain the value orientation and problem orientation of knowledge system construction. Constructing China’s independent knowledge system must be rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture, excavate the profound cultural accumulation and rich historical resources of the Chinese nation, promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and nurture the indigenous genes of China’s independent knowledge system. Explore the genetic code of “why the Communist Party of China can succeed, why socialism with Chinese characteristics is good, and ultimately why Marxism works, and why Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times works,” summarize and refine identifying concepts, condense and elevate original thought, precipitate and develop theoretical theory, and form an independent knowledge system that embodies China’s stance, contains China’s wisdom, and is rich in China’s value.

立足“两个观照”，扎根中国大地，建构中国特色的学术思想和理论体系。“两个观照”既指向知识生产与创造的民族印记、实践来源，又内蕴着知识体系建构的价值指向、问题导向。建构中国自主知识体系要植根于中华优秀传统文化，挖掘中华民族深沉的文化积淀、丰富的历史资源，推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化和创新性发展，涵养中国自主知识体系的本土基因。探索“中国共产党为什么能，中国特色社会主义为什么好，归根到底是马克思主义行，是中国化时代化的马克思主义行”的基因密码，总结归纳标识性概念、凝练升华原创性思想、沉淀发展学理性理论，形成体现中国立场、蕴含中国智慧、富有中国价值的自主知识体系。

Innovation is the fundamental path for constructing China’s independent knowledge system. Implement the action of forging the spirit of educators to strengthen teachers, providing spiritual impetus for theoretical innovation. Higher education institutions should encourage the teaching staff to break down superstition about Western academia, uphold critical thinking, use Chinese practice to reflect on the applicability of Western theories, use Chinese culture to examine the rationality of Western values, and use Chinese methods to test the comprehensiveness of Western concepts. Guide the teacher community to take problems as the orientation, actively summarize Chinese practice as Chinese experience, sublimate Chinese experience into Chinese theory, promote the coherent presentation of political discourse and academic discourse, realize the integrated expression of China’s stance and a global perspective, expand the boundaries of China’s independent knowledge system, enhance the explanatory power of Chinese scholarship, increase the academic content of Chinese theory, and comprehensively demonstrate the originality of China’s independent knowledge system.

创新是建构中国自主知识体系的根本途径。实施教育家精神铸魂强师行动，为理论创新提供精神动力。高校要鼓励教师队伍破除西方学术迷信，秉持批判性思维，以中国实践反思西方理论的适用性、以中国文化审视西方价值的合理性、以中国方法检验西方概念的周延性。引导教师群体以问题为导向，积极将中国实践总结为中国经验，把中国经验升华为中国理论，推动政治话语与学术话语的贯通性呈现、实现中国立场与全球视野的融通性表达，拓展中国自主知识体系的范围边界，提高中国学术的解释力度，增加中国理论的学术含量，全面展现中国自主知识体系的原创性。

Strengthen Party Leadership, Deepen Comprehensive Reform of Higher Education, and Strengthen Forward-Looking Overall Planning

加强党的领导，深化高校教育综合改革，强化前瞻性统筹规划

China’s higher education institutions, especially high-level research universities, as an important junction of education, science and technology, and talent, must strengthen Party leadership, coordinate the relationships between disciplinary development and academic innovation, talent cultivation and talent deployment, resource allocation and system optimization, and advance education reform, talent construction, and disciplinary development as an integrated whole, strengthening systematic planning and forward-looking guidance for the construction of an independent knowledge system.

我国高校特别是高水平研究型大学作为教育、科技、人才的重要结合点，必须加强党的领导，统筹学科发展与学术创新、人才培养与人才布局、资源配置与体制优化的关系，一体推进教育改革、人才建设、学科发展，强化自主知识体系建设的系统性谋划、前瞻性引导。

Strengthen Party leadership, and use the systematic planning of Party leadership to establish the conscious action of constructing an independent knowledge system. To run China’s affairs well, the key lies in the Party. Higher education institutions must implement and carry out the president responsibility system under the leadership of the Party committee, adhere to the original aspiration of educating people for the Party and cultivating talent for the country, actively undertake the era’s heavy responsibility of constructing China’s independent knowledge system, and effectively enhance ideological consciousness. Only by strengthening the comprehensive leadership of the Party, running Party leadership through the entire process of disciplinary construction, education system reform, resource coordination, and talent cultivation, and firmly grasping the guiding position of Marxism in the construction of an independent knowledge system, can political guarantees and fundamental prerequisites be provided for constructing China’s independent knowledge system.

加强党的领导，以党的领导系统谋划树立建构自主知识体系的行动自觉。办好中国的事情，关键在党。高校要贯彻落实党委领导下的校长负责制，坚守为党育人、为国育才的初心，主动承担建构中国自主知识体系的时代重任，切实提高思想自觉。只有加强党的全面领导，将党的领导贯穿学科建设、教育体制改革、资源统筹、人才培养全过程，牢牢把握马克思主义在自主知识体系建构中的指导地位，才能为建构中国自主知识体系提供政治保障与根本前提。

Implement the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, and adhere to the integration of knowledge system innovation and talent cultivation. Higher education institutions shoulder the unique mission of knowledge innovation and knowledge transmission. They must combine promoting knowledge system innovation with fostering virtue through education, use Chinese practice to cultivate students, use Chinese scholarship to shape students, use Chinese culture to guide students, and strive to provide talent support and intellectual support for the construction of an independent knowledge system.

落实立德树人根本任务，坚持知识体系创新与人才培养相贯通。高校肩负着知识创新与知识传授的独特使命，要将推动知识体系创新与立德树人结合起来，以中国实践培养学生、以中国学问塑造学生、以中国文化引导学生，努力为自主知识体系建构提供人才支撑和智力支持。

Smoothing the virtuous cycle of education, science and technology, and talent, and breaking down ideological and conceptual obstacles and institutional and mechanism constraints that hinder the high-quality development of education, are key to releasing the creative vitality of the teaching staff and stimulating the creative initiative of scholars. Continuously promote institutional and mechanism reforms from dimensions such as resource allocation, growth systems, diversified assessment, training and improvement, and performance incentives, deeply advance education evaluation reform, pay attention to teacher development, stimulate the endogenous development momentum and innovation vitality of talent, and encourage teachers to dare to innovate, be willing to innovate, and be good at innovating.

畅通教育、科技、人才的良性循环，打破制约教育高质量发展的思想观念障碍与体制机制束缚，是释放教师队伍创造活力、激发学者创造性积极性的关键。从资源配置、成长体系、多元考核、培训提升、绩效激励等维度持续推进体制机制改革，纵深推进教育评价改革，关注教师发展，激发人才内生发展动力和创新活力，鼓励教师敢于创新、勇于创新、善于创新。

Anchor the construction of an independent knowledge system, adhere to taking the strategic needs of the Party and the state as the guide, excavate and gather cross-disciplinary and cross-field innovative talent, build interdisciplinary disciplines and set up research teams for concentrated tackling, encourage all types of talent to break through disciplinary limitations and field barriers for deep cooperation, and stimulate the vitality of knowledge innovation through comprehensive methods, differentiated perspectives, and diversified knowledge. Based on the advantages of a strong tradition in the humanities and history and complete disciplines, focus on building two major clusters: “Construction of the Institutional System with Chinese Characteristics and the Independent Knowledge System” and “Wisdom of Fine Traditional Chinese Culture and the Construction of the Independent Knowledge System.” Guide scholars to study Chinese problems and Chinese experiences based on the great practice of Chinese-path modernization, continuously produce clustered and original heavyweight achievements in the field of the independent knowledge system, and strive to make the university a source of original thought.

锚定自主知识体系建设，坚持以党和国家战略需求为牵引，挖掘集聚跨学科、跨领域的创新型人才，建设交叉性学科、设置集中攻关性科研团队，鼓励各类人才突破学科局限、领域壁垒进行深度合作，以综合性方法、差异化视野、多元化知识激发知识创新活力。立足文史见长、学科齐全的优势，重点打造“中国特色制度体系与自主知识体系建构”“中华优秀传统文化智慧与自主知识体系建构”两大集群，引导学者基于中国式现代化伟大实践研究中国问题和中国经验，持续推出在自主知识体系领域的集群式、原创性重磅成果，努力使学校成为原创思想策源地。

Adhere to the systems concept, improve the all-round and multi-dimensional coordination mechanism, and build organized research.

坚持系统观念，完善全方位立体化协同机制，打造有组织科研

As a knowledge system with prominent originality, obvious practicality, and significant comprehensiveness, the independent knowledge system must break down disciplinary barriers and institutional constraints, integrate advantageous resources, improve the multi-dimensional coordination mechanism for knowledge innovation, and build organized research. To construct China’s independent knowledge system, it is necessary to step out of the research paradigm of the study, shake off dependence on the Western academic system, and avoid Western discourse traps. This requires systematically summarizing the great achievements of socialism with Chinese characteristics, vertically sorting out the thread of Chinese historical development, deeply exploring the thinking logic of Chinese culture, horizontally absorbing the outstanding cultural achievements of humanity, and realizing integrated innovation of the knowledge system. This determines that the traditional knowledge production model of individual combat and the path of free exploration for academic innovation cannot fully meet the originality and comprehensiveness needs of the current construction of the independent knowledge system. Promote the integration and linkage of multiple disciplines in philosophy and social sciences. Using major cultural projects, platforms, and team building as the guide, horizontally gather theoretical talent from related disciplines, vertically open up knowledge innovation support mechanisms such as research, publicity, and management, and incubate theoretical innovation integration paths and joint platforms. Using major cultural projects, platforms, and team building as the guide, issue work plans, coordinate the university’s teaching, research, and team resources, integrate project and platform advantages, and provide strong platform support for the construction of the independent knowledge system.

自主知识体系作为原创性突出、实践性明显、综合性显著的知识系统，必须打破学科壁垒、机制束缚，集成优势资源，完善知识创新的立体化协同机制，打造有组织科研。中国自主知识体系建设要走出书斋式的研究范式、摆脱西方学术体系依赖、规避西方话语陷阱，就必须系统总结中国特色社会主义的伟大成就，纵向梳理中国历史发展脉络，深入探究中国文化的思维逻辑，横向吸收人类优秀文化成果，实现知识体系的集成性创新。这就决定了，传统的单兵作战知识生产模式与自由探索学术创新路径并不能完全满足当下自主知识体系建设的原创性、综合性需要。推动哲学社会科学多学科的融合联动，以重大文化工程、平台、团队建设为牵引横向聚合相关学科的理论人才，纵向打通科研、宣传、管理等知识创新支撑机制，孵育理论创新融合路径、联合平台。以重大文化工程、平台、团队建设为牵引，出台工作方案，协调全校教学、科研、团队资源，整合项目、平台优势，为自主知识体系建设提供强劲平台支撑。

Focus on the “two overall situations” [1]1 The “two overall situations” refers to the overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the overall situation of changes unseen in a century., coordinate “bringing in” and “going global,” and enhance international discourse power.

着眼“两个大局”，统筹“引进来”和“走出去”，提升国际话语权

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “We must 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.” [2]2 This quotation is from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC or a related education work conference, emphasizing the strategic direction of educational opening up. Currently, the “two overall situations” are interwoven, mutually agitated, and mutually influential. Constructing China’s independent knowledge system must by no means be done behind closed doors or as self-talk; it must promote the integration of Chinese and foreign knowledge systems and mutual learning and sharing in the process of globalization.

习近平总书记指出，“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”。当前“两个大局”相互交织、相互激荡、相互影响，建构中国自主知识体系决不能闭门造车、自说自话，要在全球化发展进程中推动知识体系的汇通中外、互鉴共享。

Only in the collision and exchange with foreign cultures can local culture establish its subjectivity through reflection. Constructing China’s independent knowledge system can neither be done by treading on empty air and fabricating out of nothing, nor by adopting a wholesale acceptance and total Westernization approach. Instead, it must be based on the country’s actual conditions, taking ourselves as the mainstay and using it for our own purposes. This requires, on the premise of fully learning from existing human cultural achievements, basing ourselves on China’s development reality, reflecting on the practical basis, cultural soil, and thinking logic that produced the existing knowledge system, and thereby achieving critical reference and selective absorption of human cultural achievements. As bridges and bonds for cultural exchange and mutual learning, higher education institutions must deepen and expand cultural exchanges with countries around the world, comprehensively utilize channels such as academic dialogue, visiting scholar exchanges, and friendly visits, fully draw on the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system of foreign social sciences, and effectively realize the “bringing in” of beneficial achievements from foreign cultures.

本土文化只有在与外来文化的碰撞交流中，才能在反思中确立主体性。建构中国自主知识体系既不能凌虚蹈空、向壁虚构，也不能采取照单全收、全盘西化的方式，而是要立足本国实际，以我为主，为我所用。这需要在充分学习现有人类文化成果前提下，立足中国的发展实际，反思现有知识体系产生的实践基础、文化土壤、思维逻辑，进而实现对人类文化成果的批判性借鉴、选择性吸收。高校作为文化交流互鉴的桥梁与纽带，要深化拓展与世界各个国家的文化交流，综合运用学术对话、访学交流、友好访问等途径，充分借鉴国外社会科学的学科体系、学术体系、话语体系，有效实现国外文化有益成果的“引进来”。

Constructing China’s independent knowledge system is not about self-admiration in isolation, but about contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to common human problems based on Chinese practice. Higher education institutions are bridges for spreading China’s voice, telling China’s story, establishing China’s image, and conducting dialogue and exchange between China and foreign countries. They must earnestly shoulder the important responsibility of promoting the “going global” of China’s independent knowledge system. Comprehensively utilize school-running institutions for foreign cooperation, talent exchange programs, and foreign cooperation platforms to deepen an all-round, wide-ranging, and multi-form pattern of foreign exchange; utilize journal resources, set up columns, and grant scholars autonomous space for theoretical construction and academic expression; promote the internationalization of journals, display iconic concepts of Chinese-path modernization in cross-cultural exchanges, and promote academic achievements of China’s independent knowledge system, using Chinese discourse that integrates China and foreign countries to guide the attention of foreign scholars; hold international academic conferences, focus on China’s development issues, put forward Chinese viewpoints and Chinese initiatives, let the world know “China in academia,” “China in theory,” and “China in philosophy and social sciences,” tell China’s story brilliantly, and make China’s voice more resounding.

建构中国自主知识体系并非孤芳自赏，而是要以中国实践为人类共同问题贡献中国智慧与中国方案。高校是传播中国声音、讲述中国故事、树立中国形象、进行中外对话与交流的桥梁，要切实担负起推动中国自主知识体系“走出去”的重要职责。综合利用对外合作的办学机构、人才交流项目以及国外的合作平台，深化全方位、宽领域、多形式的对外交流格局；利用期刊资源，设置栏目，赋予学者理论建构、学术表达的自主空间；推动期刊的国际化，在跨文化交流中展示中国式现代化的标识性概念，推介中国自主知识体系的学术成果，以融通中外的中国话语引导国外学者关注；举办国际性学术会议，聚焦中国发展议题，提出中国观点、中国倡议，让世界知道“学术中的中国”“理论中的中国”“哲学社会科学中的中国”，把中国故事讲得精彩，让中国声音更加洪亮。

(The author is Secretary of the Party Committee of Shandong University)

（作者系山东大学党委书记）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧