(Shaanxi Daily, June 3, 2019, 12th edition)
Northwest University of Political Science and Law Highlights Outside-classroom Activities for Moral Talent Education
By Journalist Lu Yang and Correspondent Zhang Hui
On April 13, 55 students from the School of Criminal Law, Northwest University of Political Science and Law came to the provincial government for a Youth League daily activity to commemorate the centenary of the May 4th Movement. Students solemnly pledge under the Youth League flag to be builders and successors in the new era.
In recent years, Northwest University of Political Science and Law has continuously strengthened its education with outside-classroom activities, and has achieved gratifying results. “The effective organization of outside-classroom activities has sharpened students’ sense of mission and responsibility and national feelings, and strengthened their ideals and beliefs.” Yang Zongke, president of Northwest University of Political Science and Law, said, “In the future, the university should insist on putting moral talent education at the center and give full play to the important role of outside-classroom activities in the process of talent training. The organic integration of education inside and outside the classroom should be promoted to help students develop in an all-round way.”
Organizing Activities with Distinguishing Characteristics outside the Classroom
In order to listen to the lecture given by Professor Yamamoto, Vice President of Kyoto University in Japan, Xu Lutao and his classmates came to the lecture hall early in the morning. “There are many insightful academic lectures.” Xu Lutao said, “We now have more opportunities to learn and discuss frontier academic issues in a more diverse way outside the classroom. By listening to the analysis of scholars, we have further deepened our understanding of professional knowledge.” In Northwest University of Political Science and Law, lectures, forums and academic salons in various forms kindle students’ personal interest.
The annual series of activities are even more flourishing during the legal culture season of the rule of law. Last year, in the 62-day legal culture activities, 238 special events were held, involving more than 30,000 students and more than 100 scholars. Behind the numbers are not only the outside-classroom activities in full swing, but also the gratifying achievements in enriching characteristic outside-classroom activities for educating students equipped with high moral quality and professional knowledge and outstanding in both theory and practice.
“Usually, as long as time permits, I would participate in such activities, and my favorite is academic lecture.” Wang Jiachen, a student from the School of Journalism and Communication, said, “Listening to the lectures of teachers with profound knowledge can not only urge me to think, but also light up the path to the future.”
As a beneficial supplement to the classroom, activities outside the classroom are of great importance for universities to improve the quality of talent training and the level of higher education. Over the past few years, a series of excellent outside-classroom activities were organized by different schools, such as Paralegal Competition, Chang’an Scholar Lecture Hall, Doctoral Salon on Public Security, Chinese and Foreign Constitutional Book Exhibition, and Legal Writing Competition. These activities are rich in content, diverse in form, and with distinct characteristics.
Strengthening the Function of Outside-classroom Activities
“The development of AI should or should not be restricted by law”, “Domestic violence shall be prevented through legal restraint or moral education” ... A debate contest closely related to current affairs is one of the important activities in the School of Philosophy and Social Development. During the legal culture season, the School held five series of nearly 30 activities, including constitutional theme debate contest and legal education in community, in which more than 400 students and over 10 teachers participated.
Zhao Dingding, Deputy Party Secretary of the School of Philosophy and Social Development, said: “Outside the classroom is also an important place for education. Compared with the classroom, it offers the development of students’ comprehensive abilities, playing a positive role in helping students grow into talent. Therefore, we should make great efforts both inside and outside the classroom, not only to consolidate the position of classroom education, but also to strive to create colorful outside-classroom activities that will benefit students for life.”
In recent years, Northwest University of Political Science and Law has put constant emphasis on the educational activities outside the classroom. The university launched an outside-classroom program in 2017 and held a special conference to make plans and arrangements in 2018 focusing on creating a brand of characteristic activities to promote the development of the university and the growth of students. The university aims to pass on the red gene, carry forward the spirit of rule of law, and strengthen the belief in rule of law. It adheres to the principles of characteristic, diverse, and hierarchical development. By promoting existing campus cultural activities and innovating new forms of events, the university has built a system of outside-classroom activities with six major modules: rule of law culture, students’ academic research, red gene inheritance and artistic life, social practice and charity, entrepreneurship and employment guidance, and international academic exchange.
Integrating Educational Activities Inside and Outside the Classroom
Various forms of community activities and social practice are important components of education outside the classroom. Bai Yu from the School of Economics is the captain of the Dream Weaving team to the countryside during summer holidays. Not long ago, she and other 16 team members went to Shanyang County for 15-day voluntary teaching. In forms of lecture, homework guidance, outdoor activities, artistic performances, survey etc., the team members developed beloved relationships with children and brought them knowledge and joy.
Northwest University of Political Science and Law has been enriching the contents and innovating the forms of outside-classroom activities. Activities inside and outside the classroom have been integrated in both the law and other disciplines. A system of activities beyond classroom has come into existence with ideal and belief education as the core, focusing on the cultivation of socialist core values and carried by academic competitions, social practice, and abundant artistic performances. It provides a broad platform for students’ development. And fruitful results have been yield with students winning numerous awards in all kinds of competitions such as the National College Students’ Social Practice in the Countryside, the 16th National University Moot Court Competition, and the 3rd Shaanxi University Cultural Festival of Rule of Law.
