Teachers Are the Key to High-Quality Development of University Ideological and Political Theory Courses in the New Era

On March 18, 2019, at a symposium for teachers of ideological and political theory courses in schools, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Ideological and political theory courses are the key courses for carrying out the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education,” and further emphasized, “The key to running ideological and political theory courses well lies in the teachers, and the key lies in unleashing the teachers’ enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity.” Over the past five years, this contingent of ideological and political theory course teachers, bearing General Secretary Xi Jinping’s affirmation and expectations, has strived vigorously along the direction indicated, achieving remarkable accomplishments in the cause of forging souls and educating people. Facing the new journey of Chinese-path modernization, continuously building a contingent of ideological and political theory course teachers who are trustworthy, respectable, reliable, willing to act, daring to act, and capable of acting is an inherent requirement for driving university ideological and political theory courses to exert force toward the “new” and improve quality through the “new,” and is even more so an inevitable choice for accelerating the modernization of education and cultivating high-quality talents that meet the development demands of new quality productive forces.

2019年3月18日，习近平总书记在学校思想政治理论课教师座谈会上指出：“思政课是落实立德树人根本任务的关键课程”，并进一步强调，“办好思想政治理论课关键在教师，关键在发挥教师的积极性、主动性、创造性”。五年来，这支思政课教师队伍带着习近平总书记的肯定与期盼，沿着指明的方向踔厉奋发，在铸魂育人的事业中取得了显著的成就。面向中国式现代化建设新征程，不断打造可信、可敬、可靠，乐为、敢为、有为的思政课教师队伍，是推动高校思政课向“新”发力、以“新”提质的内在要求，更是加快推进教育现代化，培育符合新质生产力发展要求的高素质人才的必然选择。

I. The Key to Running Ideological and Political Theory Courses Well Lies in the Teachers

一、办好思想政治理论课关键在教师

“Revering education and encouraging learning are the great foundation of building a state; promoting talent and nurturing ability are the foremost tasks of governance.” The Communist Party of China has always attached great importance to ideological and political work and the construction of its teacher contingent. As early as the period of the New Democratic Revolution, our Party established courses such as “Party Building,” “History of the Chinese Revolutionary Movement,” and “Marxism-Leninism” in universities including the Red Army University, the Soviet University, the Counter-Japanese Military and Political University, and the Northern Shaanxi Public School; at the same time, it pioneered the construction of a teacher contingent that included Party leaders and renowned scholars such as Qu Qiubai, Cai Hesen, Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Ren Bishi, Deng Yingchao, and Cheng Fangwu. It was precisely because of such a teacher contingent, exemplary in conduct and profound in learning, that scientific truth and revolutionary spirit were continuously disseminated, cultivating a large number of talents for the revolutionary cause. In April 1978, Deng Xiaoping clearly stated at the National Conference on Education: “Whether a school can cultivate qualified personnel for socialist construction, cultivate workers with socialist consciousness and culture who are developed morally, intellectually, and physically, the key lies in the teachers.” Thus, emphasizing the important role of teachers in teaching and educating people is a scientific conclusion our Party has drawn from history and practice.

“敬教劝学，建国之大本；兴贤育才，为政之先务。”中国共产党历来高度重视思想政治工作及其教师队伍的建设。早在新民主主义革命时期，我们党就在红军大学、苏维埃大学、抗日军政大学、陕北公学等高校，开设了“党的建设”“中国革命运动史”“马列主义”等课程；同时，开创性地建设了一支包括瞿秋白、蔡和森、毛泽东、刘少奇、任弼时、邓颖超、成仿吾等党的领导人和知名学者在内的教师队伍。正是因为有了这样一支为人师表、学养深厚的教师队伍，才使科学的真理和革命的精神不断传播，为革命事业培养了大批人才。1978年4月，邓小平在全国教育工作会议上明确指出：“一个学校能不能为社会主义建设培养合格的人才，培养德智体全面发展、有社会主义觉悟的有文化的劳动者，关键在教师。”可见，注重发挥教师教书育人的重要作用是我们党在历史与实践中得出的科学结论。

In today’s world, changes unseen in a century are accelerating, various ideological and cultural currents interact and clash globally, the situation in the ideological domain is becoming more complex and volatile, and schools have become the frontline of ideological work. Rooted in the millennia-long cause of the Chinese nation, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly made clear deployments on running ideological and political theory courses well and strengthening the construction of the teacher contingent for these courses, pointing out that ideological and political theory courses are the key courses for carrying out the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, and that teachers are the key to running these courses well. As the “key within the key,” teachers of ideological and political theory courses bear great responsibility and a glorious mission. As we enter the critical period of comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, inspiring young students to keep in mind the “greatest concerns of the state” [1]1 “Greatest concerns of the state” (国之大者) is a term used by Xi Jinping to refer to the fundamental, overarching interests and strategic priorities of the Party and the country that all cadres and citizens should keep in mind. and consciously integrate into the great struggle of the new era and new journey is inseparable from the broad contingent of ideological and political theory course teachers effectively transmitting the “Way” of “socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era” and “Chinese-path modernization,” and answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times. It is precisely because we have always adhered to the important principle that “the key lies in the teachers” that, in the five years since the symposium for teachers of ideological and political theory courses in schools was held, the Party and the state have accelerated the construction of the teacher contingent. The number of ideological and political theory course teachers in universities nationwide has increased to 145,000, the overall student-teacher ratio has generally met national standards, and the overall structure has been significantly optimized. This highly educated, younger, and high-quality contingent of ideological and political theory course teachers has already provided a more solid talent foundation for promoting the high-quality development of ideological and political theory courses and has played an important role in cultivating new generations capable of shouldering the great task of national rejuvenation.

当今世界百年未有之大变局加速演进，世界范围内各种思想文化相互激荡，意识形态领域面临的形势更加复杂多变，学校成为意识形态工作的前沿阵地。立足于中华民族千秋伟业，习近平总书记多次就办好思政课、加强思政课教师队伍建设作出明确部署，指出思政课是落实立德树人根本任务的关键课程，而教师是办好思政课的关键所在。作为“关键中的关键”，思政课教师可谓责任重大、使命光荣。伴随我们迈入以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的关键时期，激励青年学子胸怀“国之大者”，自觉融入新时代新征程的伟大奋斗之中，更离不开广大思政课教师传好“新时代中国特色社会主义”和“中国式现代化”之“道”，答好中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问。正是由于我们始终以“关键在教师”为重要遵循，学校思想政治理论课教师座谈会召开五年来，党和国家加快推进教师队伍建设，全国高校思政课教师增至14.5万人，综合师生比总体达到国家规定标准，整体结构明显优化。这支高学历、年轻化、高素质的思政课教师队伍，已经为推动思政课高质量发展提供了更为坚实的人才支撑，为培养堪当民族复兴大任的时代新人发挥了重要作用。

II. The Key Lies in Unleashing the Teachers’ Enthusiasm, Initiative, and Creativity

二、关键在发挥教师的积极性、主动性、创造性

General Secretary Xi Jinping further emphasized that running ideological and political theory courses well “lies in unleashing the teachers’ enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity,” a very important reason for which is that “the essence of ideological and political theory courses is to explain principles.” However, explaining the principles contained in ideological and political theory courses is not easy. From the perspective of teaching content, it involves Marxist philosophy, political economy, and scientific socialism; involves economics, politics, culture, society, ecological civilization, and Party building; involves the “Four Histories” [2]2 “Four Histories” (四史) refers to the history of the Communist Party of China, the history of the People’s Republic of China, the history of reform and opening up, and the history of the development of socialism., world history, and the history of the international communist movement; and also involves world conditions, national conditions, Party conditions, and popular sentiment, as well as reform, development, and stability, domestic and foreign affairs, national defense, and governance of the Party, the state, and the military, and so on. The comprehensive nature of the teaching content requires that teachers of ideological and political theory courses must actively keep pace with the times, ground themselves in reality, strengthen lesson preparation, and constantly teach with innovation. Only in this way can meaningful ideological and political theory courses be made interesting, thereby fully releasing their positive effectiveness in fostering virtue through education. From the perspective of the teaching subjects, the youth of the new era have new thinking and broad horizons and are the most active group. In ideological and political theory courses, students often develop interest or doubts about some domestic and international hot and focal issues during their studies, including sharp and sensitive theoretical and practical issues. To explain these issues clearly and thoroughly, teachers of ideological and political theory courses must approach students and enter their world, using firm beliefs, profound knowledge, and solid theoretical foundations to guide students in experiencing the depth and warmth of the courses. From the perspective of reform and innovation in ideological and political theory courses, how to base oneself on the development of the times and technology and the actual needs of the growth and success of new-era youth, continuously enhancing ideological content, theoretical depth, affinity, and targeted relevance, is a topic that must be addressed to ensure that ideological and political theory courses can integrate into students’ very being, nourish their souls, enlighten their minds, and moisten their hearts. As the bearers and leaders of ideological and political theory courses, teachers must not only prioritize content but also actively innovate, leveraging diverse teaching methods and the auxiliary role of modern information technology to drive the continuous iteration, upgrading, and quality improvement of the courses. Thus, unleashing enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity not only points to the core essence of the key role of ideological and political theory course teachers but also sets higher demands on their comprehensive qualities. To this end, on the basis of the “Four Haves” for good teachers [3]3 “Four Haves” for good teachers (四有好老师) refers to having ideals and convictions, moral sentiments, solid knowledge, and a benevolent heart., the “Four Guides” [4]4 “Four Guides” (四个引路人) refers to being guides for students’锤炼品德 (tempering moral character), learning knowledge, innovating thinking, and dedicating to the motherland., and the “Four Unifications” [5]5 “Four Unifications” (四个相统一) refers to unifying teaching and educating, unifying words and actions, unifying theoretical research and social practice, and unifying academic freedom and academic norms., General Secretary Xi Jinping clarified the “Six Requirements” [6]6 “Six Requirements” (六要) are the specific standards for ideological and political theory course teachers proposed by Xi Jinping: strong in politics, deep in sentiment, new in thinking, broad in vision, strict in self-discipline, and upright in character. for ideological and political theory course teachers: “strong in politics, deep in sentiment, new in thinking, broad in vision, strict in self-discipline, and upright in character.” Over the past five years, the flourishing contingent of ideological and political theory course teachers has consistently benchmarked against the “Six Requirements,” continuously stimulating teachers’ enthusiasm for teaching and educating, initiative for dedicated research, and creativity for upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground. Through collective lesson preparation, practical research, and teaching demonstrations, they have tempered themselves, constantly being reborn toward the “new,” providing rich ideological and theoretical nourishment and uplifting spiritual strength for the growth of young students, making ideological and political theory courses unforgettable classes that students truly love and benefit from for life.

习近平总书记进一步强调办好思政课“关键在发挥教师的积极性、主动性、创造性”，其中很重要的原因就在于“思政课的本质是讲道理”。但讲好思政课中所蕴含的道理并不容易。从教学内容来看，涉及马克思主义哲学、政治经济学、科学社会主义，涉及经济、政治、文化、社会、生态文明和党的建设，涉及“四史”、世界史、国际共产主义运动史，还涉及世情、国情、党情、民情，以及改革发展稳定、内政外交国防、治党治国治军等等。教学内容的综合性就要求思政课教师必须积极主动地紧跟时代、落脚现实、加强备课、常讲常新。只有这样才能确保有意义的思政课有意思，从而充分释放思政课立德树人的积极效能。从教学主体来看，新时代的青年思维新、视野广，是最活跃的群体。思政课上，学生往往会在学习中对一些国内外热点、焦点问题产生兴趣或疑惑，其中不乏尖锐敏感的理论与实践问题。要想把这些问题讲清楚讲透彻，思政课教师就要走近学生，并且走进学生，用坚定的信仰、渊博的学识、扎实的理论功底引领学生感受思政课的厚度与温度。从思政课改革创新来看，如何立足时代与科技的发展和新时代青年成长成才的实际需要，不断增强思想性、理论性和亲和力、针对性，是确保思政课能够融入学生血肉、浸润灵魂、启智润心所必须回答的课题。作为思政课的承担者与主导者，思政课教师不仅要做到内容为王，更要积极创新，发挥多样化的教学方法和现代信息科技的辅助效用，推动课程不断迭代跃升、提质增效。可见，发挥积极性、主动性、创造性既指明了思政课教师关键作用的核心要义，同时也对思政课教师的综合素质提出了更高要求。为此，习近平总书记在“四有”好老师、“四个引路人”和“四个相统一”的基础上，向思政课教师明确了“政治要强、情怀要深、思维要新、视野要广、自律要严、人格要正”的“六要”标准。五年来，蓬勃发展的思政课教师队伍始终向着“六要”对标对表，不断激发教师教书育人的积极性、潜心钻研的主动性、守正创新的创造性，在集体备课、实践研修、教学展示中锤炼自我，不断向“新”而生，为青年学生的成长提供了丰厚的思想理论滋养和昂扬向上的精神力量，使思政课成为学生真心喜爱、终身受益的难忘课堂。

III. Promoting the Innovative Development of University Ideological and Political Theory Courses in the New Era with a High-Quality Teacher Contingent

三、以高质量教师队伍推动新时代高校思政课创新发展

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC [7]7 The 20th National Congress of the CPC refers to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held in October 2022. points out: “To cultivate and bring forth a large number of high-quality personnel with both moral integrity and professional competence is a long-term plan for the development of the nation and the country.” On the new journey of accelerating the construction of a strong educational country, university ideological and political courses must actively respond, taking the enhancement of the effectiveness of ideological and political courses in forging souls and educating people as the focal point, with innovation as the guide, creating more high-quality ideological and political “gold courses” that integrate high technology and release high efficiency, and cultivating more new-era talents with comprehensive development in morality, intelligence, physique, aesthetics, and labor. This requires us to further build and strengthen the team of ideological and political course teachers, comprehensively enhance the educational capabilities of all ideological and political course teachers, and better play the key role. First, it is necessary to further stimulate the endogenous motivation of ideological and political course teachers, striving to master the “technique,” “scholarship,” and “way” of teaching ideological and political courses well. Ideological and political course teachers in the New Era must not only carefully comprehend and accumulate the “technique” of basic teaching skills over the long term in teaching practice, making their teaching more attractive, infectious, and artistic; but also study diligently and delve into the “scholarship” of ideological and political course teaching and research, systematically master the theoretical achievements of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, enhance theoretical level, extensively absorb knowledge from philosophy and social sciences, be adept at combining teaching with research, and promote the improvement of teaching level; they must also deeply comprehend and master the “way” of ideological and political course education and teaching, that is, understand and grasp the significant importance of ideological and political courses from a high political standpoint and strategic thinking, integrate the true essence of Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times with the laws of ideological and political education and teaching, continuously elevate personal ideals, beliefs, and ideological realms, and become great masters for students in learning, doing, and being. Only in this way can they become ideological and political course teachers who can explain principles deeply, thoroughly, and vividly. Second, it is necessary to take the “Eight Unifications” [8]8 The “Eight Unifications” are eight pairs of dialectical relationships in ideological and political education proposed by Xi Jinping, such as unifying political性和学理性 (political nature and academic rationality) and unifying价值性和知识性 (value orientation and knowledge impartation). as the guide, continuously improving the teaching ability and level of ideological and political course teachers. The “Eight Unifications” proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping to promote the high-quality development of university ideological and political courses in the New Era are not only an important guideline for the construction of university ideological and political courses but also a clear requirement for the teaching practice of ideological and political course teachers. Therefore, starting from the era requirements of accelerating the construction of an educational, scientific, and technological, and talent-strong country, the majority of teachers must deeply grasp the inherent requirements of the “Eight Unifications” for ideological and political courses, infect students with firm political faith and deep feelings for the family and country, cultivate students with broad vision and innovative thinking, guide students with upright character and noble conduct, and consciously enhance their initiative, creativity, and proactivity. Deeply implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on the construction of ideological and political courses, unswervingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to forge souls and educate people, design ideological and political classrooms with ideological, theoretical, affinity, and targeted qualities, and construct a growth space that enlightens the mind and nourishes the heart for students. Third, it is necessary to adhere to the leadership of the Party, and cultivate fertile soil for the sustainable development of ideological and political course teachers. The key to running China’s affairs well lies in the Party. The achievements and experiences of the past five years have profoundly shown that the shaping of an excellent team of ideological and political course teachers cannot be separated from the strong leadership of the Party. Facing the New Era, this team still needs to mature in practice and optimize and expand in progress. This requires Party committees at all levels to fully implement the Party’s educational policy, strengthen ideological guidance, gather forces from all sides, and consolidate the “grand ideological and political” education pattern. It is necessary to further focus on the two key points of consolidating the theoretical foundation of ideological and political course teachers and improving their teaching ability, and strengthen the cultivation of ideological and political course teachers with systematic thinking. It is necessary to continuously optimize the teaching resources for ideological and political course teachers’ lesson preparation, improve the teaching case library, material library, and question bank, etc., to provide rich nourishment for teachers to improve the quality of teaching; it is also necessary to continuously update the national university ideological and political course teaching and research system, conduct rotational training for teachers step by step, enhance the teaching ability of ideological and political course teachers, innovate the evaluation and incentive mechanism for ideological and political course teachers, and use multiple methods to comprehensively empower the growth of ideological and political course teachers.

党的二十大报告指出：“培养造就大批德才兼备的高素质人才，是国家和民族长远发展大计。”在加快建设教育强国的新征程上，高校思政课必须作出积极回应，把提升思政课铸魂育人实效作为着力点，以创新为主导，打造更多融入高科技、释放高效能的高质量思政“金课”，培育更多德智体美劳全面发展的时代新人。这就要求我们必须进一步建好建强思政课教师这支队伍，全面提升广大思政课教师育人能力，更好发挥关键作用。一是要进一步激发思政课教师的内生动力，努力掌握讲好思政课的“术”“学”“道”。新时代的思政课教师既要在教学实践中细心领会和长期积累教学基本功之“术”，使授课更具吸引力、感染力和艺术性；也要努力学习、刻苦钻研思政课教学与科研之“学”，系统掌握马克思主义中国化时代化理论成果，提升理论水平，广泛汲取哲学社会科学知识，善于将教学与科研相结合，促进教学水平提升；还要深刻领悟和掌握思政课教育教学之“道”，即从高度的政治站位和战略思维理解和把握思政课的重要意义，将中国化时代化马克思主义的真谛与思想政治教育教学的规律融会贯通，不断提升个人理想信念与思想境界，做学生为学、为事、为人的大先生。只有这样，才能成为把道理讲深、讲透、讲活的思政课教师。二是要以“八个相统一”为导向，不断提升思政课教师的教学能力水平。习近平总书记提出的推进新时代思政课高质量发展的“八个相统一”，既是高校思政课建设的重要遵循，也是对思政课教师教学实践提出的明确要求。因此，从加快建设教育强国、科技强国、人才强国的时代要求出发，广大教师要深入把握思政课“八个相统一”的内在要求，以坚定的政治信仰和深沉的家国情怀感染学生，以宽广的视野和创新的思维培育学生，以端正的人品和崇高的品行引领学生，自觉增强积极性、主动性、创造性。深入贯彻落实习近平总书记关于思政课建设的重要论述，坚持不懈用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想铸魂育人，设计出具有思想性、理论性和亲和力、针对性的思政课堂，为学生构建启智润心的成长空间。三是要坚持党的领导，厚植思政课教师持续发展的成长沃土。办好中国的事情，关键在党。五年来的成就与经验深刻表明，一支优秀思政课教师队伍的塑造离不开党的坚强领导。面向新时代，这支队伍还需在实践中成长成熟、在前进中优化壮大。这就要求各级党委全面落实党的教育方针，加强思想引领，汇聚各方力量，巩固“大思政”育人格局。要进一步聚焦打牢思政课教师的理论功底和提高教学能力这两个重点，以系统性思维加强对思政课教师的培养。既要不断优化思政课教师备课的教学资源，完善教学案例库、素材库和问题库等，为教师提升授课质量提供丰富的养料；也要不断更新全国高校思政课教研体系，循序渐进对教师进行轮训，提升思政课教师的教学能力，创新思政课教师评价激励机制，运用多种方式为促进思政课教师成长全方位赋能。

On the new journey of the New Era, we must turn the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the Symposium for Teachers of Ideological and Political Theory Courses in Schools into forward momentum, persevere over time, inherit the spirit of educators, continuously forge a high-quality team of university ideological and political course teachers in the New Era, effectively improve the teaching effect of university ideological and political courses in the New Era, enhance the effectiveness of ideological and political courses in fostering virtue and nurturing people, forging souls and educating people, and cultivate more high-quality talents capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of national rejuvenation for the construction of a strong country and national rejuvenation.

新时代新征程，我们要将习近平总书记在学校思想政治理论课教师座谈会上的重要讲话精神化为前行动力，久久为功，传承教育家精神，接续锻造高质量的新时代高校思政课教师队伍，切实提高新时代思政课教育教学效果，提升思政课立德树人、铸魂育人的实效性，为强国建设、民族复兴培育出更多堪当民族复兴重任的高素质人才。

(Author’s brief introduction: Duan Yan, Vice Minister of the Department of Marxism, Northeast Normal University, Dean of the Academy of Party History and Party Building, Level 2 Professor, Doctoral Supervisor)

（作者简介：段妍，东北师范大学马克思主义学部副部长、中共党史党建研究院院长、二级教授、博士生导师）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心