Upholding Fundamental Principles and Breaking New Ground to Promote the Connotative Development of Ideological-Political Course Construction

General Secretary Xi Jinping, in his important directive on the construction of ideological-political courses in schools, emphasized: “We must always uphold the guiding role of Marxism, take the globally recognized achievements of socialism with Chinese characteristics as content support, take fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture as the foundation of strength, explain principles thoroughly, vividly, and in depth, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground to promote the connotative development of ideological-political course construction, and continuously enhance the targetedness and appeal of ideological-political courses.” [1]1 This is a direct quotation from Xi Jinping’s directive on ideological-political course construction, issued in the context of a national conference on the topic in 2024. This important directive places the construction of ideological-political courses in schools at an important position in educational work, prominently emphasizes using the Party’s innovative theory of the New Era to guide the upholding of fundamental principles and breaking new ground in ideological-political courses, points out the fundamental direction for continuously creating new prospects in ideological-political education on the new journey of the New Era, and provides the fundamental guidance for cultivating more generations of new people who can reassure the Party, are patriotic and dedicated, and bear the heavy responsibility of national rejuvenation.

习近平总书记对学校思政课建设作出重要指示强调：“要始终坚持马克思主义指导地位，以中国特色社会主义取得的举世瞩目成就为内容支撑，以中华优秀传统文化、革命文化和社会主义先进文化为力量根基，把道理讲深讲透讲活，守正创新推动思政课建设内涵式发展，不断提高思政课的针对性和吸引力。”这一重要指示，把学校思政课建设置于教育工作的重要位置，突出强调以新时代党的创新理论统领思政课守正创新，为新时代新征程不断开创思政教育新局面指明了根本方向，为培养更多让党放心、爱国奉献、担当民族复兴重任的时代新人提供了根本遵循。

Uphold the socialist orientation in running schools, and use Marxism as the guide to promote reform and innovation in ideological-political courses. Ideological-political courses are, in the final analysis, courses that disseminate ideas and transmit beliefs, courses that shape souls and shape new people. The “foundation” of ideological-political courses is primarily embodied in the “foundation” of belief and the “foundation” of politics, that is, it is embodied in adhering to the guidance of Marxism and upholding the socialist orientation in running schools. On the new journey of the New Era, to uphold fundamental principles and break new ground to promote the connotative development of ideological-political course construction, the primary political prerequisite is to uphold the fundamental principle of the guiding role of Marxism, uphold the fundamental principle of the socialist orientation in running schools, and uphold the fundamental principle of the educational orientation of ideological-political courses in enlightening the mind and nourishing the heart. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “We must uphold the Party’s leadership over higher education, uphold the socialist orientation in running schools, and effectively transform our characteristics and advantages into the ability to cultivate builders and successors for the socialist cause,” and “We must establish a work pattern with unified leadership of Party committees, joint management by the Party and government, respective responsibilities of relevant departments, and coordinated cooperation across the whole society, to promote the formation of a good atmosphere across the entire Party and the whole society where ideological-political courses are well-run, teachers earnestly teach them well, and students actively learn them well.” [2]2 These are quotations from Xi Jinping’s speeches at the National Conference on Ideological and Political Work in Colleges and Universities (2016) and a symposium on teachers and students at Peking University (2018), respectively. Specifically, to promote reform and innovation in ideological-political courses, it is necessary, under the strong leadership of the Party, to fully implement the Party’s educational policy, adhere to the path of socialist education development with Chinese characteristics, enrich the content of ideological-political courses with the theoretical treasury of Marxism, transmit scientific truth to students, and imperceptibly cultivate students’ emotions of loving the Party, loving the country, and loving socialism.

坚守社会主义办学方向，以马克思主义为指导推动思政课改革创新。思政课归根到底是传播思想和传递信仰之课，是塑造灵魂和塑造新人之课，思政课的“本”首要体现为信仰之“本”和政治之“本”，即体现为坚持以马克思主义为指导和坚持社会主义办学方向。新时代新征程，守正创新推动思政课建设内涵式发展，首要的政治前提就是坚守马克思主义指导地位之正，坚守社会主义办学方向之正，坚守思政课启智润心的育人导向之正。习近平总书记强调，“要坚持党对高校的领导，坚持社会主义办学方向，把我们的特色和优势有效转化为培养社会主义建设者和接班人的能力”，“要建立党委统一领导、党政齐抓共管、有关部门各负其责、全社会协同配合的工作格局，推动形成全党全社会努力办好思政课、教师认真讲好思政课、学生积极学好思政课的良好氛围”。具体来说，推动思政课改革创新，就要在党的坚强领导下，全面贯彻党的教育方针，坚持中国特色社会主义教育发展道路，用马克思主义的理论宝库丰富思政课内容，把科学的真理传递给学生，在潜移默化中厚植学生爱党、爱国、爱社会主义的情感。

Uphold the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, and use the Party’s innovative theory to guide reform and innovation in ideological-political courses. The construction of ideological-political courses must take fostering virtue through education as the fundamental task that runs through the entire process. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “In running education with Chinese characteristics, we must confidently and justifiably offer ideological-political courses well.” “We must take the effectiveness of fostering virtue through education as the fundamental standard for testing all work in schools, truly achieve cultural enlightenment and moral education, continuously improve students’ ideological level, political awareness, moral quality, and cultural literacy, and achieve the cultivation of great virtue, observance of public virtue, and strictness in private virtue.” [3]3 The first quotation is from Xi Jinping’s speech at a school ideological-political theory teacher symposium (2019); the second is from his speech at Peking University (2018). To run ideological-political courses well and promote upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground in them, it is necessary to uphold the fundamental principle of the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, take the Party’s innovative theory as the ideological soul and theoretical root of ideological-political course construction, use the Party’s innovative theory to guide content innovation in ideological-political course construction; use the Party’s innovative theory to nourish the original aspiration and founding mission, and seek the original aspiration and inspire the founding mission from the Party’s extraordinary history. The Party’s innovative theory is the most vivid theory, the most profound thought, and the most cutting-edge material for ideological-political courses. It must be integrated into the entire process of ideological-political specialized courses, compulsory courses, and elective courses, always insisting on synchronously advancing ideological-political course construction with the theoretical armament of the Party’s innovative theory. Currently, to uphold fundamental principles and break new ground to promote the connotative development of ideological-political course construction, the top priority is to take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the main line of ideological-political course construction, the main thread of the curriculum, and the main soul of education, to develop theoretical pathways and practical plans for its integration into ideological-political specialized courses, compulsory courses, and elective courses, to form a curriculum textbook system and curriculum teaching system with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the core content, and ultimately internalize it into students’ belief system and emotional identification system.

坚守立德树人根本任务，以党的创新理论引领思政课改革创新。思政课建设必须把立德树人作为贯穿始终的根本任务。习近平总书记指出：“我们办中国特色社会主义教育，就是要理直气壮开好思政课。”“要把立德树人的成效作为检验学校一切工作的根本标准，真正做到以文化人、以德育人，不断提高学生思想水平、政治觉悟、道德品质、文化素养，做到明大德、守公德、严私德。”办好思政课、推动思政课守正创新，需要坚守立德树人根本任务之正，把党的创新理论作为思政课建设的思想之魂和理论之根，以党的创新理论引领思政课建设的内容创新；以党的创新理论滋养初心、引领使命，从党的非凡历史中找寻初心、激励使命。党的创新理论是思政课最鲜活的理论、最厚重的思想和最前沿的素材，要将之融入思政专业课、必修课和选修课的全过程，始终坚持思政课建设与党的创新理论武装同步推进。当前，守正创新推动思政课建设内涵式发展，重中之重就是把习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想作为思政课建设的主线、课程的主脉和育人的主魂，开拓其融入思政专业课、必修课和选修课的理论进路和实践方案，形成以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为核心内容的课程教材体系、课程教学体系，最终将其内化为学生的信仰信念体系和情感认同体系。

Uphold the Chinese cultural stance, and use the new cultural mission to nurture reform and innovation in ideological-political courses. Ideological-political courses must not only explain thoroughly, vividly, and in depth the classic Marxist theories and the Party’s innovative theory, but also explain thoroughly, vividly, and in depth the brilliant cultural history and civilizational history of the Chinese nation, guiding students to enhance their historical confidence and cultural confidence from the magnificent, long-standing, and profound civilizational heritage of the Chinese nation, and better shoulder the new cultural mission. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Only with confidence can we become strong.” “In running ideological-political courses well, there are many problems to solve, but the most important is to solve the problem of confidence.” [4]4 The first quotation is from Xi Jinping’s speech at a symposium on cultural heritage (2023); the second is from the school ideological-political theory teacher symposium (2019). The “confidence” and “faith” of ideological-political courses originate not only from the truth of Marxism and the historic achievements of socialism with Chinese characteristics, but also from the civilizational foundation and cultural confidence of Chinese civilization, which has continued for thousands of years without interruption and endured repeated hardships without decline. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “The Chinese nation has formed a profound and extensive fine traditional culture over thousands of years, and the revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture forged by our Party leading the people in the processes of revolution, construction, and reform provide a deep strength for the construction of ideological-political courses.” [5]5 This is a quotation from Xi Jinping’s speech at the school ideological-political theory teacher symposium (2019). Currently, to uphold fundamental principles and break new ground to promote the connotative development of ideological-political course construction, it is necessary to uphold the Chinese cultural stance, take fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture as the foundation of strength, use the new cultural mission to nurture reform and innovation in ideological-political courses, guide students to deeply understand the great significance of the Two Integrations, understand the cultural foundation of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the civilizational foundation of Chinese-path modernization from a historical perspective, and with the integrity and courage to uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, continue the historical context and write a glorious contemporary chapter.

坚守中华文化立场，以新的文化使命涵养思政课改革创新。思政课不仅要讲深讲透讲活马克思主义经典理论和党的创新理论，还要讲深讲透讲活中华民族辉煌灿烂的文化史、文明史，引导学生从中华民族恢宏厚重、源远流长、博大精深的文明传承中增强历史自信、文化自信，更好担负起新的文化使命。习近平总书记指出：“自信才能自强。”“办好思政课，有不少问题需要解决，但最重要的是解决好信心问题。”思政课的“信心”和“信仰”，既源自马克思主义的真理性和中国特色社会主义取得的历史性成就，还源自中华文明历经数千年而绵延不绝、迭遭忧患而经久不衰的文明底蕴和文化底气。习近平总书记指出，“中华民族几千年来形成了博大精深的优秀传统文化，我们党带领人民在革命、建设、改革过程中锻造的革命文化和社会主义先进文化，为思政课建设提供了深厚力量”。当前，守正创新推动思政课建设内涵式发展，必须坚守中华文化立场，以中华优秀传统文化、革命文化和社会主义先进文化为力量根基，以新的文化使命涵养思政课改革创新，引导学生深刻理解“两个结合”的重大意义，从历史纵深理解中国特色社会主义道路的文化根基和中国式现代化的文明底蕴，以守正创新的正气和锐气，赓续历史文脉、谱写当代华章。

Uphold the goal of cultivating new people for the era, and use the “grand ideological-political” framework to coordinate reform and innovation in ideological-political courses. Striving to cultivate more new people for the era who can reassure the Party, are patriotic and dedicated, and bear the heavy responsibility of national rejuvenation is the fundamental goal of education and also the educational mission of the proletarian party. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to the importance of cultivating new people for the era who bear the heavy responsibility of national rejuvenation, combining the construction of ideological-political courses with the cultivation of new people for the era, emphasizing “cultivating socialist builders and successors who are well-developed morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and labor-wise.” [6]6 This phrasing originates from the Party’s educational policy, reiterated in the report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC (2017). Looking to the future, we must fully implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important directive on the construction of ideological-political courses in schools, uphold the fundamental principle of the educational goal of cultivating new people for the era, and use the “grand ideological-political” framework to coordinate reform and innovation in ideological-political courses. Teaching ideological-political courses well involves not only “technique,” but also “scholarship,” and even more so “the Way.” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must make good use of the ‘grand ideological-political course,’ and it must be combined with reality. When teaching ideological-political courses, one cannot simply read documents aloud, which is lifeless and dry.” [7]7 This is a quotation from Xi Jinping’s speech during a visit to the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (2021). To uphold fundamental principles and break new ground to promote the connotative development of ideological-political course construction, it is necessary to establish the concept of “grand ideological-political,” promote innovation in teaching methods, and form a pattern of coordinated education among ideological-political classrooms, professional classrooms, social classrooms, and online classrooms. Under the guidance of the “grand ideological-political” concept, all other courses must also guard their own channels and cultivate their own responsibility fields, so that various courses move in the same direction as ideological-political theory courses, forming a synergistic effect, explaining principles thoroughly, vividly, and in depth, and striving to cultivate more new people for the era who can reassure the Party, are patriotic and dedicated, and bear the heavy responsibility of national rejuvenation.

坚守培育时代新人目标，以“大思政”格局统筹思政课改革创新。努力培养更多让党放心、爱国奉献、担当民族复兴重任的时代新人，是教育的根本目标，也是无产阶级政党的育人使命。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央高度重视培养担当民族复兴重任的时代新人的重要性，把思政课建设与时代新人的培养结合起来，强调“培养德智体美劳全面发展的社会主义建设者和接班人”。面向未来，我们要全面落实习近平总书记关于学校思政课建设的重要指示精神，坚守培育时代新人的育人目标之正，以“大思政”格局统筹思政课改革创新。讲好思政课不仅有“术”，也有“学”，更有“道”。习近平总书记指出：“‘大思政课’我们要善用之，一定要跟现实结合起来。上思政课不能拿着文件宣读，没有生命、干巴巴的。”守正创新推动思政课建设内涵式发展，必须树立“大思政”理念，推动教学方法的革新，形成思政课堂、专业课堂、社会课堂、网络课堂协同育人的格局。在“大思政”理念指导下，其他各门课都要守好一段渠、种好责任田，使各类课程与思想政治理论课同向同行，形成协同效应，把道理讲深讲透讲活，努力培养更多让党放心、爱国奉献、担当民族复兴重任的时代新人。

(Author: Zhou Zhou, Researcher at the Hubei Provincial Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law Branch Center, Lecturer at the School of Marxism, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law)

（作者：周洲，系湖北省中国特色社会主义理论体系研究中心中南财经政法大学分中心研究员，中南财经政法大学马克思主义学院讲师）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心