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New Exploration of Ideology and Politics

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Theoretical Logic and Value Anchors of Integrating the Spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China into Ideological and Political Theory Courses from the Perspective of Chinese Modernization

New Exploration of Ideology and Politics / 2026,8(1): 140-151 / 2026-03-09 look65 look36
  • Authors: Chenchen Du¹ ² Yan Ma²*
  • Information:
    1. School of Marxism, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, China;
    2. School of Nursing, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
  • Keywords:
    Chinese Modernization; The Spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee; Ideological and Political Theory Courses
  • Abstract: Chinese modernization is a remarkable achievement made by the Communist Party of China (CPC) through leading the people of all ethnic groups across the country in long-term exploration and practice in the new era, which provides a fundamental perspective for the reform and innovation of Ideological and Political Theory Courses (IPTC). Centering on basically realizing socialist modernization and striving to create a new situation in the advancement of Chinese modernization, the spiritual essence of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has injected distinct contemporary connotations into the IPTC. Integrating the spirit of the session into the IPTC is an inevitable requirement for the in-depth alignment of Chinese modernization, the session’s spirit and the IPTC in terms of goals, content and values, which abides by the law of historical development and the mechanism of systematic connection and transmission. At present, this integration still faces practical challenges, and we must optimize the paths by constructing a theoretical transformation system, innovating practical teaching models and improving long-term mechanisms, so as to achieve the in-depth integration of the three and make the IPTC a core position for cultivating qualified successors for the drive of modernization.
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.35534/neip.0801012
  • Cite: Du, C. C., & Ma, Y. (2026). Theoretical Logic and Value Anchors of Integrating the Spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China into Ideological and Political Theory Courses from the Perspective of Chinese Modernization. New Exploration of Ideology and Politics, 8(1), 140–151.

The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee is an extremely important meeting convened at a critical juncture when China is comprehensively advancing the cause of building a strong country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization. Studying and thoroughly implementing the spirit of the session is a major political task for the whole Party and the entire nation at present and in the coming period (Mobilization Meeting for, 2025, October 28). Against the backdrop of the in-depth advancement of Chinese modernization, integrating the spirit of the session into the IPTC is not only an inherent need for the IPTC to respond to the propositions of the times and update teaching content, but also an important way to guide young students to deeply understand the essential requirements of Chinese modernization, strengthen confidence in the socialist system, and evote themselves to the national development driven by Chinese modernization.

1 Theoretical Logic of Integrating the Session’s Spirit into Ideological and Political Theory Courses from the Perspective of Chinese Modernization

From the perspective of Chinese modernization, integrating the spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee into the IPTC is an organic unity based on the essential connection, the law of historical development and the systematic transmission mechanism of the three. It not only reflects the inherent inevitability of theoretical development but also abides by the objective law of ideological and political education, forming a theoretically rigorous and hierarchically distinct theoretical system.

1.1 The Logic of Inherent Compatibility: The Essential Connection of the Three

Inherent compatibility is the fundamental premise for integrating the session’s spirit into the IPTC. The core lies in the high unity of Chinese modernization, the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the IPTC in three dimensions: goals, content and values, which provides a solid essential foundation for their in-depth integration.

1.1.1 Goal Compatibility: The High Unity of Talent Demand and Educational Objectives

As a pioneering undertaking with a huge population scale, Chinese modernization is confronted with a complex international environment, arduous reform tasks and diverse development needs, posing higher requirements for talents in terms of political literacy, theoretical attainment, practical ability and values. The fundamental goal of the IPTC is to foster socialist builders and successors with all-round development in morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics and labor education, which is highly compatible with the talent demand of Chinese modernization. By strengthening theoretical armament, the IPTC guides students to establish a correct world outlook, outlook on life and values, and cultivate talents with a firm political stance and steadfast ideals and beliefs for Chinese modernization. By nurturing the core socialist values, the IPTC improves students’ moral literacy, which is in line with the requirements of spiritual civilization construction in Chinese modernization. The talent training requirements put forward in the session’s spirit, which focus on economic and social development, Chinese modernization and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, have further refined the talent standards for Chinese modernization, providing a basis for the precise positioning of the educational objectives of the IPTC and forming a closed loop of core goals for talent training.

1.1.2 Content Compatibility: The Structural Isomorphism between the Theoretical System and Course Content

Chinese modernization is an organic unity of theoretical innovation and practical exploration, and its theoretical system constitutes a logically rigorous scientific theoretical framework. As the latest achievement of the theoretical system of Chinese modernization, the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee is not only a practical guide for Chinese modernization but also an important component of the theoretical system of the IPTC. The theoretical system of the IPTC is highly isomorphic in structure with Chinese modernization and the session’s spirit. From the political dimension, all three emphasize upholding the Party’s leadership—the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics—which is the core content of political, ideological, theoretical and value identity education. From the theoretical dimension, all three are guided by the latest achievements of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the times, thus enriching and developing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era (Dong, 2025). From the practical dimension, all three are rooted in the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This structural isomorphism enables the session’s spirit to be naturally integrated into the teaching system of the IPTC, rather than a simple addition of external content.

1.1.3 Value Compatibility: The Fundamental Consistency between the Development Thought and Value Orientation

The core value orientation of Chinese modernization is “people-centered development”, that is, it takes the people’s interests as the paramount consideration and pursues the happiness of the people and the rejuvenation of the nation as its ultimate goal. The development thought of people-centered development runs through the spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. Whether it is improving the institutional guarantee for people’s wellbeing or accelerating the formation of a new development pattern, the starting point and ultimate goal are to meet the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life, demonstrating the value pursuit of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The core value orientation of the IPTC is to cultivate students’ collectivist spirit, belief in socialism and awareness of the fundamental purpose of serving the people, which is fundamentally consistent with the development thought of people-centered development.

1.2 The Logic of Historical Evolution: The Historical Inevitability of the Integration of the Spirit

Integrating the session’s spirit into the IPTC is an inevitable result of abiding by the historical evolution laws of national development, theoretical innovation and the construction of the IPTC. It has always kept pace with the national development plan and the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, demonstrating a distinct historical inevitability.

1.2.1 The Historical Linkage between National Development Plans and the IPTC

As an important educational carrier serving national development, the IPTC has always maintained a close historical linkage with national development plans, abiding by the epistemology of dialectical materialism that emphasizes “practice, cognition, re-practice and re-cognition”(Mao, 1991: 296-297), and forming a virtuous circle where national development practice leads to theoretical innovation, which in turn updates course content. From the First Five-Year Plan to the 14th Five-Year Plan, the content of the IPTC has kept pace with the times in accordance with the characteristics of different national development stages. It has been highly compatible with national development strategies, guiding students to adapt to the requirements of the times and become qualified socialist builders and successors. The upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period is a critical stage for comprehensively advancing Chinese modernization, which is highly aligned with the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. As a bridge connecting national development and youth growth, the IPTC is bound to incorporate the session’s spirit into teaching content, guide students to grasp the core requirements of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and integrate their personal development into the goals of socialist modernization. This is the embodiment and continuation of the historical law that the IPTC keeps pace with national development.

1.2.2 The Law of Synchronous Advancement of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context and the Needs of the Times and the Theoretical Armament of the IPTC

Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times is an important experience of the CPC’s century-long struggles and also the theoretical foundation of Chinese modernization. It is imperative to advance the construction of the IPTC and the theoretical armament with the Party’s innovative theories in a synchronous manner (Xi Jinping Made Important Instructions, 2024, May 12). As the main channel for Marxist theoretical education, the core task of the IPTC is to arm young students with the latest achievements of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and guide them to master a scientific world outlook and methodology. The spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee is the latest development of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the latest achievement of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, which has enriched and developed the theoretical system of Chinese modernization. Integrating this spirit into the IPTC is essentially the embodiment of the law of synchronous advancement of theoretical innovation in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and the theoretical armament of the IPTC. It is not only an inherent requirement for the IPTC to maintain theoretical advancement, but also an inevitable choice to guide young students to master the latest theoretical achievements and enhance theoretical confidence.

1.3 The Logic of Systematic Connection: The Multi-level Transmission Mechanism of Integration

Chinese modernization, the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the IPTC form an organic system of interconnection and mutual support. Their in-depth integration is realized through a multi-level transmission mechanism of perspective guidance, spiritual support and curriculum undertaking, which not only clarifies the positioning and division of labor of the three, but also ensures an orderly and efficient integration process.

1.3.1 Perspective Guidance: Chinese modernization Provides Directional Guidance and a Value Coordinate

As the overall perspective for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, Chinese modernization provides fundamental directional guidance and a value coordinate for integrating the session’s spirit into the IPTC. In terms of political direction, Chinese modernization is socialist modernization under the leadership of the CPC, and upholding the Party’s leadership is its essential requirement and greatest advantage. This determines that the integration of the session’s spirit must adhere to the correct political direction and ensure that the political attribute of the IPTC is not deviated from. In terms of the value coordinate, Chinese modernization contains rich values and concepts, providing a criterion for value judgment for the integration of the session’s spirit. The content of integration must conform to the value orientation of common prosperity, highlighting the protection of people’s wellbeing, fairness and justice. The integration process must reflect the requirement of the coordination of material and spiritual civilizations, strengthening both theoretical education and moral cultivation. The integration goal must serve the requirement of the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature, enhancing students’ awareness of ecological civilization, and ensuring that the integration of the spirit is always consistent with the value pursuit of Chinese modernization.

1.3.2 Spiritual Support: The Session’s Spirit Injects Contemporary Connotations and Practical Materials

As the latest achievement of the theoretical system of Chinese modernization, the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee provides rich contemporary connotations and practical materials for the IPTC, forming the core support for the integration of the spirit. At the theoretical connotation level, a series of new concepts, viewpoints and judgments put forward at the session around Chinese modernization have further deepened the understanding of the development laws of socialism with Chinese characteristics, providing the latest theoretical support for the theoretical teaching of the IPTC. At the practical material level, the major economic and social development goals for in the 15th Five-Year Plan period deployed at the session—such as achieving remarkable results in high-quality development, substantially enhancing the capacity for scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement, and making breakthroughs in further comprehensively deepening reform—have formed a large number of vivid cases in practice, providing abundant materials for case teaching and practical teaching of the IPTC.

1.3.3 Curriculum Undertaking: the IPTC Becomes the Core Carrier for the Dissemination of the Spirit and the Implementation of the Perspective

As the core carrier for disseminating the spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and promoting the implementation of the perspective of Chinese modernization, the IPTC undertakes this task mainly through three paths. First, the theoretical dissemination path: make good use of classroom teaching as the main channel (Xi Jinping stressed at the National Conference, 2016, December 9), systematically explain the theoretical system of Chinese modernization and the essence of the session’s spirit, and help students accurately grasp its theoretical connotations, practical requirements and contemporary values. Second, the value guidance path: transform the value pursuit of Chinese modernization and the value orientation of the session’s spirit into students’ inherent beliefs and codes of conduct, guide students to integrate their personal ideals into the overall situation of the national modernization drive, and achieve the goal of value identity. Third, the practical transformation path: adhere to the main position of education through practice, and guide students to combine theoretical learning with practical exploration through practical teaching forms such as social practice, voluntary services and thematic research. Students can perceive the practical achievements of Chinese modernization in practice, improve their ability to solve practical problems, and grow into active practitioners of Chinese modernization.

2 Value Anchors of Integrating the Session’s Spirit into Ideological and Political Theory Courses from the Perspective of Chinese Modernization

The value anchors of integrating the spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee into the IPTC form an organic unity based on the demand orientation of three dimensions: the country, education and youth. The three dimensions are interrelated and mutually supportive, constituting a value coordinate system for the integration of the spirit.

2.1 National Dimension: Serving the Strategic Demand of the Construction of Chinese Modernization

Chinese modernization is a systematic project that requires the joint participation and support of the whole society. Integrating the session’s spirit into the IPTC is essential to provide talent support, ideological guarantee and spiritual motivation for the construction of Chinese modernization, serving the strategic demand of national development.

2.1.1 Strengthening Young People’s Political Identity with the Six Fundamental Principles

The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee clearly put forward the six fundamental principles: upholding the Party’s overall leadership; putting the people first; pursuing high-quality development; comprehensively deepening reform; promoting interplay between an efficient market and a well-functioning government; and ensuring both development and security (Xinhua News Agency, 2025, October 24). These principles serve as the basic guidelines for economic and social development in the 15th Five-Year Plan period, offer action guidance for striving to create a new situation in the advancement of Chinese modernization, and serve as the fundamental guidelines for advancing Chinese modernization. As the future builders of the country, young people’s political identity with the six fundamental principles is directly related to the correct direction and smooth advancement of Chinese modernization. By integrating the session’s spirit into the IPTC, teachers guide students to deeply understand its theoretical basis, practical significance and contemporary value. Through systematic theoretical teaching and value guidance, young students are enabled to identify with the six fundamental principles from the bottom of their hearts, enhance their political judgment, political comprehension and political execution capacity, and become firm supporters and promoters of Chinese modernization.

2.1.2 Cultivating the Spirit of Innovation and the Awareness of Striving that Support the Development of New Quality Productive Forces

New quality productive forces are an important support for Chinese modernization and the core driving force for high-quality development. The development of new quality productive forces requires generations of young talents with the spirit of innovation, the awareness of striving and professional literacy, and the IPTC is an important platform for cultivating these core qualities. In teaching, combined with the content of the reform of the institutional mechanisms for scientific and technological innovation, teachers explain the core position of innovation in Chinese modernization, guide students to establish the concept that innovation is the primary driving force, and cultivate young students’ spirit of innovation, awareness of entrepreneurship and character of striving, providing solid talent support for the development of new quality productive forces.

2.1.3 Consolidating the Ideological Foundation for the Coordinated Advancement of Development and Security

The coordinated advancement of development and security is an important strategic principle of Chinese modernization and the fundamental guarantee for ensuring the smooth advancement of the modernization drive. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to the issues of development and security, proposing to better coordinate development and security, advance economic development and work in all fields in a coordinated way, and lay a solid foundation for basically realizing socialist modernization. It also emphasizes the guarantee of national security, economic security, ideological and cultural security and other aspects. As the future guardians of the country, young people’s awareness of security and sense of responsibility are directly related to the overall situation of national development and security. By integrating the strategic thought on the coordinated advancement of development and security in the session’s spirit into the IPTC, teachers strengthen young students’ awareness of security and sense of responsibility.

2.2 Educational Dimension: Meeting the Inherent Demand for the Connotative Development of the IPTC

The connotative development of the IPTC is an important task for the construction of a strong education country in the new era, whose core lies in improving teaching quality, innovating teaching models and perfecting the education system. The integration of the session’s spirit into the IPTC provides an important opportunity for the connotative development of the IPTC, which can effectively promote the high-quality development of the IPTC.

2.2.1 Enriching the Teaching Content System and Strengthening Contemporary Relevance and Targetedness

The spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee covers many cutting-edge fields such as new quality productive forces and security strategy, providing abundant materials for the IPTC. By integrating this spirit into the core courses of the IPTC, the limitations of traditional teaching content can be broken, and the shortcomings of insufficient contemporary content in the existing teaching can be made up for. Combined with the new expositions on new quality productive forces in the session’s spirit, teachers deepen the contemporary interpretation of the Marxist theory of productive forces. By integrating the practical requirements such as cultural innovation and creation, and the core socialist values, the practical targetedness of the courses is enhanced, ensuring that the teaching content of the IPTC always resonates with the development of the times.

2.2.2 Innovating the Teaching Implementation Model and Enhancing Teaching Attractiveness and Effectiveness

The integration of the session’s spirit into the IPTC promotes the transformation of the IPTC teaching models from traditional theoretical teaching to a diversified model of theoretical teaching combined with practical experience. In terms of teaching methods, teachers can adopt various forms such as thematic seminars, case analysis and situational simulation, transforming the abstract theories in the session’s spirit into specific and perceptible teaching content. Innovating teaching models can effectively stimulate students’ initiative in learning, change the stereotyped impression of the IPTC as dull moralizing, enhance teaching attractiveness and effectiveness, and realize the cognitive sublimation from theory to practice and then back to theory.

2.2.3 Perfecting the Collaborative Education System of the Great Ideological and Political Course

The construction of the Great Ideological and Political Course is an important direction for the reform and innovation of the IPTC in the new era, whose core lies in breaking disciplinary barriers, departmental boundaries and campus borders, and fostering the education pattern of the whole process, all staff and all aspects. The integration of the session’s spirit into the IPTC provides an important opportunity for perfecting the collaborative education system of the Great Ideological and Political Course, which can effectively integrate educational resources inside and outside the campus and form a joint force for education. Promote the in-depth integration of the IPTC with professional courses, and further integrate the new concepts, viewpoints and judgments of the session’s spirit into the teaching of professional courses, and realize the resonance of the IPTC and ideological and political education in all courses. Strengthen cooperation with government departments, enterprises, communities, scientific research institutions and other units, establish practical teaching bases for the Great Ideological and Political Course, invite industry experts, responsible persons of government and enterprise institutions, advanced models and other figures to enter the classroom, carry out activities such as thematic lectures and experience sharing, and transform social resources into educational resources.

2.3 Youth Dimension: Catering to the Developmental Demand for the All-Round Development of the New Generation of Young People

Young people are the future and hope of Chinese modernization, and promoting the all-around development of young people is the core goal of the IPTC. The integration of the session’s spirit into the IPTC can effectively align with the developmental demand of young people, promote their all-round development, and cultivate a new generation of young people who take on the great responsibility of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

2.3.1 Fostering Patriotism and a Sense of National Mission, Guiding Young People to Align with the Development Demand of the 15th Five-Year Plan

Patriotism and a sense of national mission are an important foundation for the all-round development of young people and a core link guiding young people to integrate their personal development into national development. The 15th Five-Year Plan period is a critical stage for comprehensively advancing Chinese modernization, whose development goals and tasks are closely related to the growth and success of young people. As an important theoretical guide for the 15th Five-Year Plan, the spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee provides a clear direction for young people to align with the development demand of the national modernization drive. Teachers carry out extensive education on the history of the Party and the nation and patriotic education, enabling young students to perceive the unremitting efforts made by the CPC for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and enhancing their national pride and historical sense of responsibility.

2.3.2 Improving Moral Literacy and Practicing the Core Socialist Values

Moral literacy is the cornerstone of the all-round development of young people and an important foundation for practicing the core socialist values. The value orientation of the core socialist values runs through the spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, which emphasizes the importance of moral construction and cultural cultivation, providing important guidance for the improvement of young people’s moral literacy. Combined with the relevant content of cultural construction in the session’s spirit, teachers explain the contemporary connotations and practical requirements of the core socialist values, and guide students to establish correct moral concepts. Through a model of theoretical education, example demonstration and practical cultivation, the all-round improvement of young students’ moral literacy is promoted, enabling them to become firm practitioners of the core socialist values.

2.3.3 Enhancing Practical Ability and Helping Young People Grow into Practitioners of the Modernization Drive

Practical ability is a key ability for the all-round development of young people and a core support for young people to grow into practitioners of the Chinese modernization drive. The spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee emphasizes practical requirements such as practical innovation, cultural creation and people’s wellbeing services, providing a broad platform for the improvement of young people’s practical ability. In the design of practical content, combined with the practical tasks deployed at the session, teachers set up targeted practical projects, enabling students to improve their ability to solve practical problems in practice. In terms of practical methods, teachers organize students to conduct in-depth research at the front line, identify practical problems and put forward solutions, temper their ability to analyze and solve problems, and help young people grow into qualified practitioners and a vital force for the Chinese modernization drive.

3 Practical Reflection and Optimal Paths for Integrating the Session’s Spirit into Ideological and Political Theory Courses

Integrating the spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee into the IPTC is a systematic project. Although it has a solid theoretical foundation and a clear value orientation, it still faces many practical challenges in the practice process. An in-depth reflection on these challenges and exploration of scientific and effective optimal paths are the key to achieving the in-depth integration of the three and improving the educational effectiveness of the IPTC.

3.1 Theoretical Level: Constructing a Three-Level System of Core Essence, Theoretical Interpretation and Teaching Transformation

To address the problems of fragmented integration and insufficient theoretical support, a three-level system should be constructed at the theoretical level to realize the systematic transformation and in-depth integration of the session’s spirit. First level: Refine the core essence of the session’s spirit and clarify the core content for integration. Organize experts, scholars and the IPTC teachers to conduct in-depth research on the spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and refine a core content system consisting of core concepts, basic theories and practical requirements. Core concepts include socialist modernization, new quality productive forces, the coordinated advancement of development and security, and the six fundamental principles; basic theories include the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and Chinese modernization; practical requirements include scientific and technological innovation, deepening reform and safeguarding people’s wellbeing. This provides a clear content guide for the integration of the spirit. Second level: Strengthen theoretical interpretation and lay a solid theoretical foundation. Strengthen the theoretical research on the session’s spirit, and conduct in-depth interpretation from three dimensions: the basic tenets of Marxism, the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and interdisciplinary theories. Explore the Marxist theoretical origin of the session’s spirit, sort out its logical relationship with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and interpret its theoretical connotations by drawing on the theoretical achievements of multiple disciplines. At the same time, organize the compilation of the Teaching Guide for Integrating the Spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee into Ideological and Political Theory Courses, providing systematic theoretical references for the IPTC teachers. Third level: Promote teaching transformation and design targeted integration plans. According to the characteristics and teaching objectives of different IPTC courses, transform the essence and theoretical interpretation into specific teaching content and methods. In the course of Basic Principles of Marxist Theory, explain the core connotations of the new quality productive forces combined with the Marxist theory of productive forces; in the course of Mao Zedong Thought and the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, interpret the specific practice of institutional advantages combined with the theory of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Design hierarchical and progressive integration plans according to the cognitive characteristics of students at different academic stages: undergraduate students focus on basic theoretical learning and the cultivation of value identity. In contrast, postgraduate students focus on theoretical research and the cultivation of practical innovation ability, ensuring the targetedness and effectiveness of integration.

3.2 Practical Level: Creating a Diversified Model of Thematic Teaching, Case Teaching and Field Classroom

To address the problem of the mismatch between supply and demand, a diversified teaching model should be created at the practical level to enhance the attractiveness and effectiveness of the IPTC. First, carry out thematic teaching and strengthen theoretical depth. Focus on the core content of the session’s spirit, set up a series of teaching themes such as New Quality Productive Forces, High-Quality Development, Rapid Economic Development and Long-Term Social Stability. Each theme has clear teaching objectives, content and methods, and adopts a model of teaching, discussion and debate to guide students to conduct in-depth learning and research. Invite leading cadres of the Party and government and responsible persons of enterprises and institutions to give thematic lectures, and organize students to hold debates on relevant themes to deepen their understanding and cognition. Second, deepen case teaching and enhance practical targetedness. Establish a Case Library for Integrating the Spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee into Ideological and Political Theory Courses, collect and sort out vivid practical cases covering many fields such as scientific and technological innovation, Beautiful China and national security, and attach importance to the authenticity, typicality and timeliness of the cases. In teaching, through case analysis, discussion and simulation, teachers guide students to combine theoretical learning with practical problems and improve their ability to analyze and solve problems. Third, create a field classroom and enhance the sense of practical experience. Relying on the practical measures for the implementation of the session’s spirit, establish stable practical teaching bases, including scientific and technological innovation enterprises, demonstration villages for rural revitalization and practical teaching bases for the Great Ideological and Political Course. Organize students to conduct research visits and voluntary services in practical teaching bases, enabling students to perceive the practical value of the session’s spirit in practice. Make use of modern information technologies such as VR/AR to create virtual practical classrooms and enhance the immersion and attractiveness of practical teaching.

3.3 Institutional Level: Establishing a Long-Term Mechanism of Inter-Curriculum Synergy, Teacher-Student Interaction and Evaluation Feedback

To address the problem of imperfect mechanisms, a long-term mechanism should be established at the institutional level to ensure the sustainability and stability of the integration. First, establish an inter-curriculum collaborative education mechanism. Set up a leading group for collaborative education in the university to coordinate and promote the teaching integration of the IPTC with public courses and professional courses, and push forward the integration of the session’s spirit into the teaching process of all courses. Sign long-term cooperation agreements with Party and government organs, enterprises and institutions outside the university, establish stable off-campus practical teaching bases and collaborative education platforms, and form a pattern of collaborative education with resources inside and outside the university. Second, improve the teacher-student interaction and communication mechanism. Build a diversified teacher-student interaction platform, adopt seminar-style, heuristic and interactive teaching methods in classroom teaching, and encourage students to take the initiative to ask questions and express their opinions. Establish regular communication channels after class by using online teaching platforms and WeChat groups to timely answer students’ ideological perplexities. Encourage teachers to conduct thematic research and heart-to-heart talks among students to understand their actual ideological situation and development needs, organize students to participate in teaching reform and curriculum design, and enhance students’ enthusiasm and initiative in learning. Third, improve the evaluation and feedback mechanism. Establish a scientific evaluation index system covering multiple dimensions, including the integration degree of teaching content, the theoretical support capacity, students’ recognition and the practical transformation effect, adopting a combination of qualitative and quantitative evaluation and a combination of process and result evaluation. Introduce the participation of multiple subjects such as students, peers, experts and society, in the evaluation to ensure the objectivity and fairness of the evaluation results. Establish smooth feedback channels, collect students’ learning needs and suggestions in a timely manner through questionnaires and student forums, and form a closed-loop mechanism of evaluation, feedback and optimization.

3.4 Guarantee Level: Strengthening Faculty Construction and Resource Integration

First, strengthen the construction of the faculty team. Establish a systematic faculty training system, organize the IPTC teachers to participate in special training, academic seminars, teaching observations and other activities on the session’s spirit, and improve teachers’ theoretical level and teaching ability. Invite experts, scholars and the policy makers to provide professional guidance for teachers, encourage teachers to carry out research on relevant topics, support teachers to apply for scientific research projects, and promote the improvement of teaching level through scientific research. Establish a faculty incentive mechanism, commend and reward teachers with outstanding performance, and stimulate their enthusiasm and creativity. Second, integrate high-quality educational resources. Strengthen the construction of the IPTC teaching resources, and integrate teaching materials and reference materials, including case libraries and courseware libraries, to support the integration of the session’s spirit into the IPTC. Make use of modern information technologies to build online teaching platforms, integrate high-quality online courses, teaching videos and other resources, and carry out blended online and offline teaching. Strengthen cooperation with media and publishing houses, produce easy-to-understand publicity and educational materials such as short videos and comics, and enhance the attractiveness and influence of the dissemination of the spirit. Integrate red cultural resources, scientific and technological resources and other resources to build a number of representative practical teaching bases for the Great Ideological and Political Course, providing a solid guarantee for practical teaching.

4 Conclusion

From the perspective of Chinese modernization, integrating the spirit of The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee into the IPTC is an inevitable result of the essential connection, historical evolution and systematic transmission of the three, with a solid theoretical logic and clear value anchors. Through the in-depth integration of the three, the IPTC can give full play to its important role in disseminating the Party’s innovative theories, cultivating a new generation of young people for the times and serving national development. It guides young students to deeply understand the essential requirements and practical paths of Chinese modernization, grow into qualified builders and reliable successors undertaking the great responsibility of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and provide solid talent support and ideological guarantee for comprehensively advancing the Chinese modernization drive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

References

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[6]  Xi Jinping Stressed at the National Conference on Ideological and Political Work in Higher Education that Ideological and Political Work Should Be Integrated into the Entire Process of Education and Teaching to Create a New Pattern for the Development of Higher Education in China. (2016, December 9). People’s Daily, 1.

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