The Ministry of Education recently announced the list of selected teams for the fourth batch of the “National Huang Danian-style Faculty Team” initiative. The Economics Faculty Team of the School of Economics led by Professor Wang Wenju, CUEB Party Secretary, was honored —marking the university’s first achievement in this category. This team, built upon decades of academic achievements in Economics at CUEB, reflects CUEB’s deep integration of moral education, scientific innovation, and service to the overall national strategy.

Cultivating Great Educators Who Nurture Souls in the New Era Passing the Torch

With a profound history, CUEB’s Economics discipline traces back to 1974. Renowned economists such as Luo Yuanzheng, Fu Zhufu, Bai Tuofang, and Ding Bing laid a solid foundation for the discipline with decades of dedication. It was during this period that the team began to take shape and gradually evolve.

The team takes professional integrity and teaching conduct as the primary standard for team development. By integrating ideological and political education into the curriculum, the team focus on cultivating educators with “Four Qualities”, namely, lofty ideals and beliefs, moral integrity, solid knowledge, and compassion. Composed of faculty teaching core Economics courses such as Political Economy, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Econometrics, the team is recognized as a national-level team. In 2019 and 2024, the “Economics Top-Notch Innovative Talent Training Team” and the “Quantitative Economics Education Team,” formed by team members, were selected as Beijing Outstanding Undergraduate Education Teams.

Among the team members, Professor Wang Wenju was selected for the National High-Level Talent Support Program for Leading Talents in Philosophy and Social Sciences; Professor Yang Chunxue was honored as a National Model Teacher; and Professor Li Kunpeng received grants from the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and Excellent Young Scholars Science Fund. Two members receive special government allowances from the State Council. Team members have also received 16 provincial and ministerial honors, including Beijing Outstanding Communist Party Member, Beijing Outstanding Teacher, Beijing March 8th Red Banner Award, and Beijing Teaching Master. Additionally, 14 members have been recognized as Young Beijing Scholars or Beijing High-Level Talents.

Devoting to the Teaching Frontline: Innovating the Training Model for Top Economics Personnel

The team is responsible for the development of the discipline of Economics. In 2005, it launched the Economics Experimental Class to explore innovative models for cultivating top students in economics. In recent years, it has established a new liberal arts education framework featuring “integration of digital and real economies, strengthening the real economy through digital means.” The team undertook the Ministry of Education’s inaugural New Liberal Arts Research and Reform Practice Project and four Beijing Teaching Reform and Innovation Projects. It has won four first prizes and one second prize in Beijing Education and Teaching Achievement Awards. Through persistent exploration and practice, the discipline of Economics has been selected as a National Characteristic Major, a National Comprehensive Reform Pilot Program, and a National First-Class Undergraduate Program. The Economics International Talent Training Experimental Zone was recognized as a National Innovation Experimental Zone for talent training. a Beijing Ideological and Political Demonstration Course; “Intermediate Microeconomics” was awarded Beijing High-Quality Undergraduate Course and Beijing Graduate Ideological and Political Demonstration Course; the textbooks edited by the team have been designated as National Planning Textbooks for the 11th and 12th “Five-Year Plans”, as well as Beijing Elite Textbooks. High-quality textbook development, course delivery, and student cultivation have formed distinctive features of the team’s education.

Rooted in China: Promoting the Construction of an Independent Knowledge System for Chinese Economics

The team adheres to the principles of the socialist economy with Chinese characteristics, focusing on major issues in China’s economic development. Their research centers on areas including China’s economic growth and cyclical fluctuations, institutional reforms and income distribution, and green development, to better tell China’s story.

On June 29, 2024, CUEB held the 18th High-Level Forum on Economic Growth and Cycles and the Release Conference for the China Urban Quality of Life Index

The team has secured 58 national and provincial-level research projects, including two major projects and two key projects from the National Social Science Fund, one Distinguished Young Scholars project from the National Science Fund, and two Excellent Young Scientists projects from th Courses taught by the team have received numerous honors: “Political Economy” was rated as a National Elite Course, National Elite Resource-Sharing Course, Beijing Elite Course, and Beijing High-Quality Undergraduate Course; “Microeconomics” was recognized as a National First-Class Undergraduate Course and National Natural Science Fund. They have published 863 papers in core domestic and international academic journals, including one in Social Sciences in China , six in Economic Research Journal , four in Management World , and nine in Journal of Econometrics . Additionally, they have published 67 academic monographs. Their research achievements have been recognized with four Ministry of Education Outstanding Achievements in Humanities and Social Sciences Awards and eight Beijing Philosophy and Social Science Outstanding Achievements Awards.

In 2024, the team successfully obtained authorization for a first-level doctoral program in Theoretical Economics. They also participated as deputy editors in the compilation of the Marxism Theory Research and Construction Project textbook, History of Chinese Economic Thought . In 2025, team members were commissioned by the National Textbook Committee to contribute to the layout of China’s original textbooks across 29 first-level disciplines in philosophy and social sciences, supporting the construction of the national independent textbook system and independent knowledge system.

Serving Beijing, Supporting National Strategies

The team remains committed to addressing national needs and serving the development of Beijing. Focusing on significant theoretical and practical issues, they have undertaken projects commissioned by various Beijing municipal departments, including the Beijing Municipal People’s Congress, the United Front Work Department of the Beijing Municipal Committee, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform, and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics. Among their findings, 26 have been favorably noted by provincial-ministerial level leaders, providing intellectual support for national and capital development. Over the past five years, the team members have conducted field research at enterprises, delivered lectures at peer universities, and participated in domestic and international academic conferences, totaling over 200 engagements. They have offered recommendations for economic and social development through various channels. The team members have frequently been invited for media interviews, published signed articles in authoritative publications, and granted over 100 interviews to newspapers and media outlets. They provide expert insights on industry issues and economic phenomena, disseminating professional perspectives and demonstrating outstanding social service effectiveness.

From the foundational work of earlier generations of scholars to today’s breakthroughs in education, research, and social services, the Economics Faculty Team embodies the spirit of educator Mr. Huang Danian in concrete actions. This honor is not only a recognition of the team’s achievements but also strong evidence of CUEB’s discipline construction and education quality.

In the future, the team will continue to uphold its original aspirations in education, drive academic innovation, and shoulder the responsibilities of the times. They aim to cultivate more top-notch innovative personnel in economics, contribute to the construction of an independent knowledge system for Chinese economics, and support the development of the nation and the capital in the new era.