National Conference on Rule of Law in Higher Education held in Nanjing

The National Conference on the Rule of Law in Higher Education was held at Nanjing University on November 5-6, 2020. Vice Minister of Education Tian Xuejun attended the conference and delivered a speech.

Tian underlined the special significance of this conference against the backdrop of implementing guidelines emanating from the recently concluded Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, and urged higher education institutions to contribute to the rule of law on campus through concrete measures.

The conference noted the importance of appreciating the role that HEIs could play in upholding the rule of law from a strategic point of view. Clarifying that strengthening the rule of law is essential to promoting the reform, development and governance of HEIs, and effectively mitigating legal risks on campus, the conference urged HEIs to fully grasp the nature and requirements of the rule of law on campus, and address the nexus between the rule of law, moral education, further reforms and innovation.

As a first step, the conference encouraged HEIs to improve institutions in relation to their constitution, mechanisms designed for protecting the rights and interests of teachers and students, and legal risk mitigation systems, in addition to strengthening education on the Constitution and the rule of law.

Representatives from the Fujian Provincial Education Department, Zhejiang Provincial Education Department, Tsinghua University, Northeastern University, East China Normal University, Wuhan University of Technology, Chang"an University, and Zhengzhou University made presentations.