Education evolution of Central Party School

Well-known in China as the most significant institute to nurture future leaders, the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China - known as the Central Party School – has experienced a change in its curriculums along with the transforming situation at home and overseas.

"It is quite necessary and beneficial for leading officials to spend a period of time studying at the Central Parity School,"said Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping during a opening ceremony for a new semester in September.

As the highest-level training institute for officials, the Central Party School has made a series of adjustments to meet the changing needs of the modern world.

Education in 1980s

The main adjustment to the curriculum started in 1980s when the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued a decision to "normalize" the education of Party schools in May 1983.

Under the plan, then president of the school, Jiang Nanxiang, added new course like western economics, microeconomics, macroeconomics and development economics.

Changing textbooks in 1990s

The core was to change the school's basic textbooks, by replacing the old five theory courses of Marxism philosophy, economics, scientific socialism, Party history and building – with the new basic issues of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, contemporary world economics, science, technology, law, military affairs and China's national defense and contemporary world thought.

Culture a global perspective

Since the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, China has been increasingly open to the world.

A closed-door Central Party School and officials who lack a global-perspective are not able to meet the requirement of a more open China and a more confident Communist Party of China, said Chen Baosheng, the current president of Central Party School.

To culture an international perspective for senior officials, the school has launched a weekly program, inviting some ministers of central Party and government departments and prestigious scholars to deliver reports or lectures about current affairs to the trainees.

Meanwhile, the school has also provided more opportunities for its teachers to go abroad for exchanges. On the other hand, the school has attracted a long list of high-profile foreign visitors including former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Higher requirement for teaching staff

Since 1990s, the school has paid more attention on integrating discussions, lectures, interactions, case analysis and simulation into classes, which means a higher requirement for teaching staff.

To give a better understanding, the school urges teachers to visit grassroot places for research and study.

Keeping pace with the times

Facing the growing impact of micro blogs, the school also organizes researchers to study social networking. The school held a unique micro blog lecture for its trainees in 2011.