What do you expect from college life? How to spend four years of college life without regret? How do ideals and beliefs guide your choices? CUEB Party Secretary Han Xianzhou shall discuss these topics with you. On Sept. 14, Han was invited by China Youth Daily to give class for the special program "the first lesson of ideological and political education". In his class, Han guided college students to buckle the first button of their lives at a new stage, namely, cultivating patriotism, boosting confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and strive to run on the right track of youth.

Hello, everyone! I'm Han Xianzhou, Secretary of the Party Committee of CUEB. It is my great pleasure to have the broader ideological and political lesson with all young friends today. 

At the mention of ideology and politics, many may consider them magnificent. But what problems can they solve and what are the differences between ideological and political education today and that in the past? For these questions, I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you what we have done in CUEB. 

Over these years, our school has earnestly implemented the fundamental task of cultivating talents in virtue, bringing about gratifying changes. In my words, we have been more determined in the direction, more proficient in practices and more fruitful in outcomes. We have been commonly aware that all departments should bear their responsibility accordingly to implement this fundamental task. 

For instance, in our Office of Teacher Advancement (OTA), teachers have spontaneously organized to discuss the experience of carrying out ideological and political curriculum in recent years. According to the requirements of the General Secretary Xi Jinping, they have an increasingly stronger awareness to become a better-qualified teacher, that is, a master in education. 

General Serectary Xi Jinping pointed out that ideological and political courses are the key for cultivating talents through virtue and teachers are the key for courses. Every course should be well coordinated with ideological and political courses to form a synergistic effect. Therefore, we have made attempts to "drive" ideological and political teachers out of their school and “drive” them out of CUEB in recent years.

Then what does “drive” mean? For the former one, it is to encourage teachers of the School of Marxism Studies to actively establish daily contact with every other schools to guide the theoretical learning of teachers and students as well as to instruct student associations.

For the latter one, it means that those teachers are supported to go to society to study the practices of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the vivid embodiment of the spiritual lineage of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, which could broaden their horizon and improve teaching quality.

The sound environment of learning ideological and political courses in the school is the catalyst for the healthy growth and success of students. Thus, I’d like to give the following two examples about students participating in major activities. 

First, in celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China, Liu Ti, a senior student about to graduate in 2019, applied to participate in the guarantee service. At that time, the school did not agree to his application and hoped he would focus on his study and work. However, he insisted on the application no matter what position or work assigned, and then he was finally approved and became a member of the crowd party square named “yú shuǐ qíng shēn (fish water friendship profound)” and also served as the first captain of the fifth squadron. Unexpectedly, he was pierced in the palm by props during the first night rehearsal. But he insisted to the end and finally was recognized by all members of the temporary Party Branch of the Lianhuan Square Front, becoming an honorable CPC member. 

Second, during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games and the Winter Paralympic Games, dozens of students from CUEB were selected strictly as award ceremony volunteers in Chongli District of Zhangjiakou, which required volunteers to be the first to enter and the last to leave. The award ceremony is usually scheduled to be held in the evening, the coldest time of Chongli competition area with the temperature of 20 degrees below zero. The volunteers needed to wear gowns to keep etiquette at all times, but everyone had no grumbles but took active attitudes towards some problems. For example, a little girl named Cui Xinyi said that athletes felt it was a little pity when receiving awards as camisoles covered the sign of “China” on their clothes. In a word, volunteers were deeply inspired by the athletes' spirit represented by a single word or thing, and they successfully completed the volunteer service under the leadership of teachers, bringing glory to CUEB. 

We try to make meaningful things interesting. Among the rules mentioned by the General Secretary Xi Jinping, one is to “abide by the law of students’ growth”. What is the law of youth? In the education on the Party’s history activities, the Student Affairs Department of the Party Committee of the University established the “Ideological and Political Education Film and Television Base”, where students can watch patriotic films at school. It became a such popular campus cultural activity that some students queued up an hour in advance to enter when the film Days and Nights in Wuhan was played and those who did not have seats even sat in the corridor. Many students watched the whole film in tears. 

We try to make meaningful things interesting. Among the rules mentioned by the General Secretary Xi Jinping, one is to “abide by the law of students’ growth”. What is the law of youth? In the education on the Party’s history activities, the Student Affairs Department of the Party Committee of the University established the “Ideological and Political Education Film and Television Base”, where students can watch patriotic films at school. It became a such popular campus cultural activity that some students queued up an hour in advance to enter when the film Days and Nights in Wuhan was played and those who did not have seats even sat in the corridor. Many students watched the whole film in tears. 

What is the first lesson for the coming freshmen? The School of Public Finance and Taxation held the “Red Finance and Taxation Centennial Landmark” on campus to demonstrate the revolutionary history of the finance and taxation discipline. The School of Labor Economics held the exhibition of “Moving forward Revolutionary Labor and Opening up a New Era of Labor Science”. All these activities are not only an integral part of the discipline construction of the school, but also the moral educations of college students. 

Today, CUEB is full of vivid stories about cultivating professionals. The “broader ideological and political education” will accompany students for their healthy growth and encourage them to become new youngsters in the new era who can shoulder the responsibilities for the prosperity and rejuvenation of our nation.