(Article/Xue Yang, Bai Jingyi, Photo/Si Zhe, Lu Di, Review/Ma Xiping)

On 18 March, Northwestern Polytechnical University held a symposium on the high-quality development of ideological and political theory courses in the School of Marxism and a site office meeting of the Ma Academy. Li Yanrong, secretary of the university party committee, attended and delivered a speech. Yang Xiao, deputy secretary of the Party committee, leaders of the School of Marxism, teacher representatives and student representatives attended the meeting. The meeting was presided over by Cheng Jiwei, Executive Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee.

Yang Xiao led the group to revisit the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at the symposium for teachers of ideological and political theory courses in schools, and further gained a deep understanding of the rich connotation and practical requirements of the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech.

The teacher representatives of the School of Marxism, Lu Lige, Gao Baoying, Pu Yao, Cao Yu, Sun Shaoyong, Lv Yan were combined with the learning situation and teaching practice to make exchange speeches. Everyone said that since General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the symposium for teachers of ideological and political theory courses in schools, the ideological and political theory courses have ushered in the spring of development, and over the past five years, teachers of ideological and political theory courses in the university have actively innovated the form of the first classroom, combined with the characteristics of the NPU, and constantly promoted the reform and innovation of the ideological and political theory courses.

Student representatives Wang Yanan, a master's student of the School of Public Policy and Management, Zhao Wang, a master's student of the School of Aerospace, and Ye Hengyu, a doctoral student of the School of Marxism, talked about their feelings and harvests of learning the ideological and political theory course in the light of their own learning experiences. The students said that the ideological and political theory course of the school combined with the characteristics of the school and vivid cases around them, which made the profound theories relatable and learnable, and the alumni chief lecturer's talk about the ideological and political theory course was deeply touching and inspiring.

Yang Yunxia, dean of the School of Marxism, reported on the construction of the ideological and political theory course curriculum, the innovation of teaching mode and the effectiveness of practice in the past five years.

The persons in charge of the Department of Academic Affairs, the Department of Propaganda of the Party Committee, the Department of Student Work of the Party Committee, the Institute of Science and Technology, and the Department of Human Resources (Teachers' Work Department of the Party Committee) focused on the construction of ideological and political theory courses, and made exchanges and seminars in order in the light of their own work.

Li Yanrong revisited a series of important speeches made by General Secretary Xi Jinping on deepening the reform and innovation of ideological and political theory courses and promoting the construction of ideological and political theory courses from the positioning of ideological and political theory courses and the construction of the ideological and political theory course teachers' team, etc. He said that the core of General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of important speeches lies in "cultivating morality and nurturing people". As a key course for the implementation of the fundamental task of cultivating morality, the ideological and political theory course should adhere to Xi Jinping's thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, give full play to the role of political leadership and value leadership of the ideological and political theory course in the school's curriculum system, and based on the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, cultivate socialist builders and successors who are all-rounded in morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics and hard work.

Combined with the actual situation of the school, Li Yanrong put forward five requirements for the school to promote the high-quality development of ideological and political theory courses. The first is to deepen reform and innovation, and use Xi Jinping's socialist thought with Chinese characteristics in the new era to cast the soul and educate people. We should focus on advantageous resources to build national first-class courses, and continue to deepen the teaching reform; we should promote the teaching mode of medium-class lectures and small-class seminars, strengthen classroom interactions, and make full use of the "original course drama", "5G + Civic and Political Science Classes", etc. to improve the "head-up rate" of the students; we should promote the teaching mode of medium-class lectures and small-class seminars, and strengthen classroom interactions. "We should expand the channels of practical teaching and make use of the university history hall, science and technology hall, museum, key laboratories and research institutes to carry out on-site teaching.

Secondly, to polish the national defence background, and build the ideological foundation of "chief engineer type" talent training. To grasp the "three one" project: students should have a visit to Yan'an and another red education base to study during school to plant patriotic feelings; short-term exchange visits abroad to open up international perspectives; to strengthen the education of military industry for the country, and to enhance the student's awareness of dedication to national defence.

Thirdly, increase the efforts to attract and educate, and continue to improve the ability level of the ideological and political theory course teacher team. To introduce high-level talent, adhere to the "six" standard, improve the systematic, targeted and effective teacher training, only the teacher's vision opened, life experience is rich, in order to speak with vitality of ideological and political theory course; to continue to expand the teacher, and actively invite the leading cadres, experts, scholars, scientists, old comrades, advanced models, red base interpreters, etc. as part-time teachers of the ideological and political theory course. We should continue to expand teachers, and actively invite leading cadres, experts and scholars, scientists, old comrades, advanced models to be part-time teachers.

Fourthly, to prosper the liberal arts of educating people, and to comprehensively enhance the core competitiveness of the discipline of Marxist theory and the School of Marxism. Scientific research projects reflect the level and national competitiveness of the discipline's faculty, showing the faculty's right to speak in the country, as well as the depth and breadth of thinking. We should increase the efforts of discipline construction, carefully sort out the direction of secondary disciplines of Marxist theory, and adhere to the development path of "entering the mainstream and having characteristics"; we should strengthen the organised scientific research, and organise the cultivation of major topics and achievement awards in humanities and social sciences; we should promote the construction of national key Marxist colleges in a coordinated manner, and make efforts to form a Marxist college with the characteristics and style of NPU.

Fifthly, to strengthen the coordination and build a collaborative pattern of training both inside and outside the school. To strengthen the centralised and unified leadership of the school party committee, to implement the school leadership team to take the lead in the work of ideology and politics, the standing committee of the party committee should regularly study the key work of the construction of the ideology and politics course; to improve the mechanism of collaborative education across the university, fully aware of the fact that the promotion of ideological and political theory courses is not the business of a certain department or college, but involves the overall situation of the school's talent cultivation, and to strengthen the synergy and coordination of the relevant units; to bring together the whole society to educate the people. We should gather the whole society to educate people, insist on opening the door to run the ideological and political theory course, promote the co-construction agreement with China Yan'an Cadre College, so as to do "for my use", form characteristics, give full play to the school's advantages of co-operation with the top ten military industrial groups, Commercial Aviation, Huawei and other cooperation, and jointly build the off-campus ideological and political course practice and teaching bases.

Before the meeting, Li Yanrong, Cheng Jiwei and Yang Xiao visited the exhibition of the achievements of the construction of ideological and political theory courses in the School of Marxism.

       After the meeting, Li Yanrong and Cheng Jiwei came to the Teaching East Building and listened to the classroom teaching of ideological and political theory courses such as ‘Introduction to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era’ and ‘Ideology, morality and rule of law’.