Gaining a Profound Understanding of the Scientific Meaning of a Leading Country in Education

In his important speech at the National Conference on Education, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly addressed the major question of "What kind of leading country in education are we building?"

He systematically elucidated the scientific meaning of a leading country in education, clarified its fundamental characteristics, and provided a scientific guide for us to gain a deep understanding of its essential requirements, and to correctly recognise and comprehensively promote its construction.

At the National Conference on Education, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that the leading country in education we aim to build is a leading country in education of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It should have strong ideological and political leadership, talent competitiveness, scientific and technological underpinning, livelihood security, social synergy, and international influence, providing robust support for building China into a great country and realising national rejuvenation on all fronts by pursuing Chinese modernisation. General Secretary Xi's important speech is a profound answer to the critical question of "What kind of leading country in education are we building?" He made a systematic elaboration of the scientific meaning of a leading country in education, clarified its fundamental characteristics, and provided a scientific guide for us to gain a deep understanding of its essential requirements, and to correctly recognise and comprehensively promote its construction.

It’s imperative to ensure the direction of talent cultivation with strong ideological and political leadership. Direction concerns the fundamental and affects the overall situation. What kind of talent we should cultivate, how, and for whom — these are the fundamental issues that education must address. This requires that we must strengthen the Party's overall leadership over education work as the fundamental guarantee, focus on the fundamental task of fostering virtue and educating people, and unswervingly using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to educate people. Driven by the mission of building China into a great country, we must continue to improve the ideological and political system and mechanism to educate people, offer well-delivered courses on introducing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and promote the integrated reform and innovation of ideological and political courses in primary, secondary, and tertiary education. The successful cases of the great transformation of the new era should be consciously used, and revolutionary resources should be fully tapped in education. Efforts should be made to strengthen practice-based and online education. We must ensure the direction of talent cultivation with strong ideological and political leadership, ensuring qualified successors to carry forward the cause of the Party and the nation.

We must gain the initiative in international competition with strong talent competitiveness. In today's world, the competition for composite national strength ultimately comes down to a competition for talent. Talent is the strategic resource necessary to realise national rejuvenation and to gain the upper hand in international competition. This requires us to comprehensively enhance our ability for independent talent cultivation, improve the mechanisms for adjusting academic disciplines and talent cultivation models. More emphasis should be placed on basic, emerging and interdisciplinary subjects, as well as the cultivation of top-notch talent.  We must focus on cultivating more masters, science strategists, top-notch scientists and innovation teams, young science and technology talent, outstanding engineers, master craftsmen, and highly-skilled talent. These efforts will provide solid talent support and intellectual backing for building a great country and achieving national rejuvenation.

It’s imperative to solidify the foundation for high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology with strong science and technology support. In today's world, science and technology are the primary forces of production and competition. Self-reliance and strength in science and technology are the bedrock for the security of a strong country. In the face of unprecedentedly fierce science and technology competition, only by continuously seizing the high ground in technology, striving to reach the pinnacle of scientific achievement, and mastering key core technologies in our own hands can we fundamentally ensure high-quality development and high-level security. This requires us to stay closely aligned with the needs of national strategies, promote the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent, improve the institutions and mechanisms pertaining to technological innovation in universities, effectively drive organised scientific research, and make more original and disruptive technological breakthroughs, providing solid support for achieving high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology.

It’s imperative to meet the people’s aspirations for a better life with strong support for their wellbeing. Building a leading country in education ultimately means providing education that satisfies the people. This requires us to continue to follow a people-centred approach to develop education and promote social fairness and justice with fairness in education. We must continue to improve the inclusiveness, accessibility, and convenience of public education services, resolve the pressing difficulties and problems that concern the people most in education, and ensure that the benefits of educational reform and development are shared more broadly and equitably among all. Education must play a foundational role in promoting the people’s well-rounded development and achieving common prosperity for all.

It’s imperative to create a powerful collective force for the reform and development of education cause with strong social synergy. It’s a shared responsibility of the entire Party and society to advance the building of a leading country in education on the new journey in the new era. It is a highly collaborative and systemic endeavour. This requires us to unite and coordinate the efforts of various stakeholders, effectively design collaboration mechanisms and policies for modern education, and enhance the ability for the coordinated development and harmonious interaction of education and socioeconomic development. Together, we will perform a wonderful “sonata” for the cause of building a leading country in education.

It’s imperative to contribute greater Chinese strength to global education development with strong international influence. Openness is a distinctive feature of Chinese modernisation, and the international influence in education is a significant marker of a leading country in education. The reform, development, and remarkable achievements of China's education have contributed Chinese strength to global education development and provided Chinese solutions for global education governance. To successfully advance along the path of socialist education with Chinese characteristics, we must not only appropriately handle the relationship between “taking root in China and drawing on international experience” but also effectively balance “bringing in” and “going global”. This will involve making effective use of world-class educational resources and innovative elements, thereby positioning China as a major global education centre with strong international influence.

General Secretary Xi Jinping's explanation of the scientific meaning of a leading country in education is profound in thought and rich in content, outlining a clear new vision for the development of a leading country in education. It points out the direction for us to adhere to systems thinking and strategic vision, coordinate and promote various educational initiatives from a holistic and long-term perspective. Time belongs to those who strive! Let us focus on the goal of becoming a leading country in education by 2035, align our thoughts and actions with the guiding principles of General Secretary Xi's important speech and the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee. With a pragmatic approach, concrete measures, and effective results, we will strive to write a new chapter in building a leading country in education.

Source: China Education Daily, 12 September 2024