On March 16, the 7th Anniversary Conference of the Yanhe Collegiate League of Talent Cultivation and the Higher Education Forum themed “Carrying Forward the Legacy, Shouldering the Mission: Striving for Excellence and Nurturing a New Generation” took place at South-Central Minzu University (SCMU). Jin Nuo, Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Yan’an Spirit Research Society; Zhong Denghua, Chair of the Yanhe League’s rotating presidency, Secretary of the Party Committee of China Agricultural University, and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Dai Wei, Deputy Director of the Hubei Provincial Department of Education, member of its Party Leadership Group, and member of the Provincial Education Work Committee; along with university leaders, heads of academic affairs and student affairs departments, and faculty and student representatives from the League’s 17 member institutions, gathered by the South Lake. Together, they reviewed the journey of the League’s member universities as they expanded from Yan’an across the nation and outlined a new blueprint for collaborative red-culture education. Liu Yi, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of SCMU, presided over the conference.
Xu Yeqin, Secretary of the University Party Committee, delivered a welcome address. He reviewed the University’s distinctive journey of running higher education institutions rooted in China’s context, elaborated on its practical exploration as a “community for red-culture education”, and emphasized that the University has consistently upheld its original aspiration and mission of cultivating talent for the Party and the country, making significant contributions to the cause of ethnic unity and progress. He stressed that as the country embarks on a new journey toward building a leading nation in education, SCMU stands ready to join hands with all member universities of the League. By adhering to the main line of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, leveraging digital intelligence in education as an engine, and taking service to national strategies as its guide, the University will proactively align with major national and regional strategic needs. In doing so, it aims to deliver a SCMU contribution worthy of the nation and the times, accelerating the realization of a leading education nation and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Xu Yeqin Delivers a Speech. (Photo provided by the Party and Administration Office)
Zhong Denghua Delivers a Speech. He noted that the League has always been committed to its mission of preserving the red legacy, jointly nurturing talents for the new era, and serving national strategies. Over the past seven years, guided by the red spirit, the League’s member universities have worked hand in hand, conducting extensive cooperation in talent cultivation, scientific research, and social services, achieving a series of landmark results while expanding their influence and reach. The League has made positive strides in areas such as curriculum sharing, joint training programs, and collaborative labor education. He emphasized that China Agricultural University will diligently fulfill its duties as the rotating chair, deepening red-culture education and collaborative innovation with member universities to contribute even more to national development.
Zhong Denghua Delivers a Speech. (Photo provided by the Party and Administration Office)
Wang Bo, a member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Beijing Institute of Technology, which hosts the League Secretariat, delivered the League’s work report. He noted that over the past seven years since its inception, the League has consistently upheld the Yan’an Spirit, continuously exploring pathways for collaborative education. In the past year, the League has worked to integrate red culture into all aspects of talent cultivation, established a smart education base, implemented shared resource development, and taken initial steps to create a complementary educational framework. Looking ahead, the League will pursue higher standards to solidify its position as a hub for red-culture education, deepen digital intelligence transformation and collaborative innovation, and enable the torch of the Yan’an Spirit to spread further and burn brighter, contributing the League’s new strength to building a leading education nation and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Wang Bo Delivers the Work Report. (Photo provided by the Party and Administration Office)
In her speech, Jin Nuo noted that over the past seven years, the Yanhe League has remained true to its original aspirations and forged ahead with determination. Its red legacy has been passed down from generation to generation, and its educational influence has continued to grow, making it a vivid example of how higher education can preserve red traditions and serve national strategies. She emphasized that the Yan’an Spirit is a shining jewel in the spiritual lineage of Chinese Communists. Its essence—the correct political direction, the ideological line of emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts, the fundamental principle of serving the people wholeheartedly, and the entrepreneurial spirit of self-reliance and hard work—represents a valuable resource for fostering virtue and nurturing talent in the new era. Standing at a new historical starting point, she called for transforming the contemporary value of the Yan’an Spirit into momentum for education, strengthening the foundation of belief, and guiding young students to integrate their personal aspirations into the great cause of national development.
Jin Nuo Delivers a Speech. (Photo provided by the Party and Administration Office)
During the conference, Lin Wanlong, a member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of China Agricultural University, presided over the launch ceremony of the “Yanhe League Micro-Specialization Collaborative Group”. Taking the 7thanniversary conference as an opportunity, the Collaborative Group will adhere to the principles of complementing strengths, co-development and sharing, and leading with distinctive features. Led by China Agricultural University, it will establish an integrated platform for micro-specialization management, consolidate high-quality resources from member universities, enable platform empowerment and mutual recognition of achievements, and further develop a new educational model characterized by cross-university collaboration and interdisciplinary integration. The Group aims to build a national hub for micro-specialization education and cultivate innovative, interdisciplinary, and application-oriented talents capable of shouldering the responsibilities of the times, injecting new momentum into national development efforts.
Launch of the “Yanhe League Micro-Specialization Collaborative Group”.
(Photo provided by the Party and Administration Office)
That morning, the Higher Education Forum themed “Carrying Forward the Legacy, Shouldering the Mission: Striving for Excellence and Nurturing a New Generation” was held. Representatives from the 17 member universities delivered keynote speeches on topics such as instilling values through red legacy and cultivating top-notch innovative talents. The speakers included Feng Shizheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Renmin University of China; Yang Fan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Beijing Institute of Technology; Lin Wanlong, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of China Agricultural University; Liu Xinlu, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Beijing Foreign Studies University; Tang Qiong, Director of the Academic Affairs Office of the Central Conservatory of Music; Yu Yang, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts; Xu Yongsheng, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of the Central Academy of Drama; Zhao Lifang, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Minzu University of China; Xi Jiami, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Yan’an University; Wu Zhihui, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Northeast Normal University; Liu Yi, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of South-Central Minzu University; Li Ke, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of China University of Labor Relations; Liu Fengying, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Heilongjiang University; Pan Ruojian, Vice President of Beijing Film Academy; Li Xiaona, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Head of the Publicity Department of China Medical University; Pang Bo, Vice President of Shenyang Conservatory of Music; and Hu Bingwen, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Luxun Academy of Fine Arts. The reports were notable for their clear themes and distinctive features, further solidifying consensus and strengthening collaborative efforts in deepening the development of a community for red-culture education.
University Representatives Deliver Their Reports. (Photo provided by the Party and Administration Office)
During the conference, the League organized a series of thematic activities aligned with its agenda. Attendees visited the Wuhan Revolutionary Museum for a red-culture educational experience, gaining firsthand insight into the founding ideals and mission of the Party. A forum on “Continuing the Red Educational Path: Bridging Secondary and Higher Education” was held, where discussions took place with principals from key high schools across Hubei Province on the integrated development of ideological and political education across secondary and higher education levels. Participants also watchedGreat Master, a play centered on the theme of promoting the spirit of educators. The League convened a joint meeting and its 2026 Council, where it reviewed and approved the annual work plan and reached consensus on deepening the collaborative education mechanism. Concurrently, the League’s Talent Cultivation Achievement Exhibition was held, showcasing the red-culture education initiatives and outcomes of member universities. The Yanhe League’ Academic Affairs Directors Forum and the Student Affairs Directors Forum were held simultaneously, featuring in-depth discussions on topics such as integrating ideological and political education into curricula and leveraging smart technologies for ideological and political education.
It is reported that the Yanhe Collegiate League of Talent Cultivation was established on March 16, 2019, and currently has 17 member universities. Since its inception, member universities have worked to preserve and promote the red legacy, innovate talent cultivation models, facilitate resource sharing among institutions, and establish collaborative innovation mechanisms that integrate science and education for mutual reinforcement. They have organized a series of impactful activities and carried out effective collaborative education efforts.
