Nanjing University has deeply studied and implemented Xi Jinping thought on culture, fully implemented the spirit of the 20th National Congress and the subsequent plenary sessions, and thoroughly implemented the spirit of the National Education Conference and President Xi Jinping's important reply to NJU young scholars returning from overseas. The university has deeply implemented the action plans for constructing an independent knowledge system and enhancing advisory service capabilities, as well as the action plan for building modern civilization of the Chinese nation. With firm cultural confidence, adhering to the "two integrations", and upholding integrity and innovation, NJU leverages its strengths to serve national needs, continuously promoting knowledge, theory, and method innovations. It accelerates the construction of an independent knowledge system in Chinese philosophy and social sciences, systematically advancing the high-quality development of the "Unique Nanjing University" philosophy and social sciences of the new era, characterized by "NJU's original research, renowned scholars, and academic schools." It undertakes the Ministry of Education's special project on the overall planning for constructing an independent knowledge system in disciplines and has been selected as a national collaborative research base for the "Collaborative Research Base for the Research Center of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture."
Symposium on the Development of Humanities and Social Sciences
Deepening Research and Interpretation of the Party's Innovative Theories
1. Achieving new breakthroughs in the construction of platforms for the Party's innovative theories
NJU has been successfully selected as a collaborative research base (the second batch ) for the Research Center of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Utilizing the research strengths and advantages of discipline clusters in Marxism and outstanding traditional Chinese culture, the university comprehensively researches and interprets the significant meaning, rich connotations, and practical requirements of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture from the perspective of "two integrations", contributing wisdom and strength to creating new forms of human civilization and leading the development and progress of world civilization.
NJU's esearch on ethnic border areas has been recognized by central leadership. The university has been selected as a "Research Base for Strengthening the Awareness of the Chinese National Community" by four central ministries, with research achievements in organizing ethnic historical materials and border governance receiving lengthy commendatory instructions from central leadership.
Wang Huning, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, visited NJU and held discussions with teachers and students at the base.
All types of national-level platforms constructed by the state include Nanjing University. The "Social Governance Digital Innovation Team for Chinese Modernization" has been selected as the first batch of innovative philosophy and social science teams by the Ministry of Education. The university has been included in the first batch of "National Revolutionary Cultural Relics Collaborative Research Centers" by the Ministry of Education and the National Cultural Heritage Administration.
2. Improving academic interpretation of the Party's innovative theories
NJU collaborate with the "Marxist Project" Office at the Theoretical Bureau of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee to initiate the construction of a comprehensive database of the Party's innovative theories.
Focusing on topics such as the inheritance of Chinese culture, cultural heritage protection, and ethnic work, seven NJU scholars including Mo Lifeng, Hua Tao, and Yao Yuan participated in an important central meeting and delivered keynote speeches, highlighting the mission and academic influence of scholars from NJU.
On June 2, 2023, Mo Lifeng spoke at a symposium on cultural inheritance and development.
On April 21, 2023, Hua Tao spoke on a seminar on General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thoughts on strengthening and improving ethnic work.
On June 3, 2024, Yao Yuan spoke at a theoretical seminar on learning and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture.
The university undertook major tasks commissioned by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, such as the "Outline of the Cultural Heritage Protection and Inheritance Plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan Period" and "Questions and Answers on Xi Jinping Thought on Culture", and contributing to the compilation of the "Study Guide on Xi Jinping Thought on Culture" (Chapter 10), which received affirmation from central leaders.
Over the past three years, more than 220 policy consultation reports from NJU have received instructions from central ministries and provincial leaders, with over 100 reports acknowledged by central leaders, including 11 endorsed by key central leaders. 70 policy recommendations on building a culturally strong nation received affirmative instructions from central leaders.
NJU has actively advanced the Marxist project construction, including 11 Marxist project textbooks and 6 original textbooks. The project has summarized and refined new concepts, categories, and expressions with originality, interpretative power, and distinctive features, promoting the transformation of original practice into original theory and original theory into original textbooks.
The construction of an independent knowledge system highlights NJU characteristics
Central leaders hosted the "Symposium on the Construction of an Independent Knowledge System in Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences" at NJU, highly affirming our achievements in humanities and social sciences. We have refined the integrated innovation of five major directions: World Marxism and the Sinicization of Marxism, Chinese civilization and cultural innovation, Chinese modernization and high-quality development, regional and national studies and civilizational exchange, and digital humanities and computational social sciences.
1. Deepening the construction of leading academic highlands
NJU has been selected for Jiangsu Province's "Initiating Cultural Heritage Discipline Source Plan," promoting digital transmission of cultural heritage, focusing on constructing a Chinese civilization identification system, supporting rare and key fields such as paleography, unearthed documents, classical studies, ethnic border studies, cultural heritage studies, regional and country studies, national security studies, and actively empowering civilization research with digital intelligence methods, consolidating and expanding the advantages of traditional humanities.
The university has advanced its major research project for constructing the "Leading Project" of China's independent knowledge system, co-hosted academic seminars on "China's Independent Knowledge System and Chinese Modernization" with the Provincial Publicity Department and Provincial Social Science Federation, focusing on topics such as constructing China's independent knowledge system in fields like economics, sociology, and political science, promoting systematic, normative, and brand-building construction of NJU's unique independent knowledge system in its advantageous academic fields.
Academic seminar on "China's Economic Independent Knowledge System and Chinese Modernization."
NJU has been continuously supporting research in rare disciplines. Its "Turkic Studies" research was selected as one of six projects in the national "Rare Discipline" support plan.
2. Creating a new paradigm for "Five-Dimensional Coaxial" Great Civilization Research.
The university has pioneered the "Five-Dimensional Coaxial" Great Civilization research with its distinctive features. The flagship project "Integrated Digital Atlas of Ancient Chinese Cities", was officially released at the 2025 Beijing Cultural Forum, receiving affirmation from central leaders.
The "Integrated Digital Atlas of Ancient Chinese Cities" released at the 2025 Beijing Cultural Forum
NJU has actively practiced the "Global Civilization Initiative", jointly establishing the "International Consortium of Civilization Laboratories" with 10 top global humanities laboratories, creating a Chinese discourse highland for global civilization research, with related work recognized by Ministry of Education leaders. It has established the NJU Hong Kong Advanced Institute, built the "Global Civilization and Chinese Culture Research Platform," and constructed a global civilization research academic network.
World Civilizations Laboratory Consortium Inaugural Conference
NJU has been successfully selected as one of Jiangsu Province's first batch of key philosophy and social science laboratories, and led the formation of the Jiangsu Province University Philosophy and Social Science Laboratory Alliance.
Founding ceremony of Jiangsu Province University Philosophy and Social Science Laboratory Alliance
"Anhui Langxi Grinding Stone Mountain Site" was selected as one of the top ten archaeological discoveries in 2023, achieving a breakthrough in archaeology.
3. Digital intelligence construction leading research rransformation and innovation.
Using the "Year of Digital Intelligence Civilization" as a focus, NJU has organized the Digital Intelligence Civilization Innovation Youth Forum and the Digital Empowerment Chinese Civilization Achievement Exhibition, promoting deep integration of artificial intelligence and humanities and social sciences research, supporting high-quality development in knowledge innovation, interdisciplinary studies, and talent cultivation in the humanities, arts, and social sciences at NJU in the new era, creating an academic network for AI in humanities at NJU in the digital intelligence era.
NJU "Research on Empowering Chinese Civilization with Digital Intelligence" Results Exhibition
Facing the transformation of humanities research in the era of artificial intelligence, NJU has taken the lead in deploying the interdisciplinary research plan for Humanities and Social Sciences with Artificial Intelligence (AI for HASS). We have initiated and implemented 26 projects to promote a new situation of cross-field integration and methodological innovation. The "AI for HASS International Visiting Scholar Program" has been launched to support outstanding overseas talents from humanities, social sciences, or interdisciplinary fields to exchange at NJU, establish and deepen academic connections, and promote global excellence in research and international talent cultivation. Nine sessions of AI for HASS Young Scholars Series Workshops have been held.
4. Leading academic innovation through the construction of China's independent evaluation system
The Symposium on High-Quality Development Seminar for Philosophy and Social Sciences Journals was convened at NJU to explore key directions and implementation paths for academic journals to serve the construction of China's independent knowledge system in philosophy and social sciences. At the symposium, the "Nanjing Initiative for High-Quality Development of Philosophy and Social Sciences Journals" was issued, along with the announcement of the first batch of "Young Scholars-Friendly Journals" and the "Overseas Publication Plan for High-Impact Results of Chinese University Philosophy and Social Sciences Journals," leading new trends in the development of philosophy and social sciences.
NJU has continued to refine the 3C Chinese Academic Comprehensive Evaluation System, advanced the inclusion of overseas Chinese academic journals and ethnic language academic journals. It has made efforts to expand the global vision of the evaluation system included overseas Chinese academic journal inclusion and global think tank evaluation. The construction of Hong Kong and Macau Chinese academic journals was promoted, and the "Hong Kong and Macau Chinese Academic Journals and Think Tank Construction Seminar" was held to explore new paths and models for high-quality development in the digital and international era, fostering new consensus on global Chinese academic evaluation cooperation to jointly enhance the international influence of Chinese academics.
Certificate issuance ceremony for the inclusion of Hong Kong and Macau CSSCI (2025-2026)
Seminar on Hong Kong and Macau think tank construction
5. Research innovation capacity steadily leading nationwide
NJU's innovation capacity in humanities and social sciences research continues to strengthen, with both the quantity and level of national projects increasing, and key achievements continuously emerging. Over the past three years, the total number of National Social Science Fund projects reached 286, including 38 major projects, ranking third among national universities. In 2025, the total number of annual National Social Science Fund projects reached 50, ranking second among C9 universities, setting a new record. Three major projects under the Ministry of Education's first batch of Special Topics on Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture (Category A) were approved, ranking first nationwide.
Works such as Outline of Chinese Modernization and New Quality Productivity: New Momentum for Development were rated as "China's Good Books" by the Central Publicity Department. A series of original works including Poetry of the Tang and Five Dynasties, Special Studies on the War of Resistance Against Japan, Returning to Marx (volume II), and Cultural Consciousness and the Sinicization of Social Sciences have been published successively. The first series of "The Road to Chinese Modernization" containing seven works was released at the 19th Academic Conference of the Jiangsu Provincial Social Sciences Community. Introduction to Economics of Artificial Intelligence was launched, providing cutting-edge and systematic guidance for mastering the basic principles and methods of artificial intelligence economics.
The Ninth Higher Education Scientific Research Outstanding Achievement Awards (Humanities and Social Sciences) saw 39 awards, ranking among the top national universities. The 17th Jiangsu Province Philosophy and Social Sciences Outstanding Achievement Awards had 128 winners, continuing to lead the province. Publications in Social Sciences in China and Qiushi totaled 18 articles, ranking among the top national universities.
Tell China's Story through NJU's Diverse Narratives
1. Continuously expanding academic cooperation networks
In December 2025, NJU and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Beijing, and held discussions on academic research, platform construction, talent cultivation, and think tank development, leveraging the advantages of top institutions to focus on major theoretical and practical issues. Collaboration was deepened in areas such as the transformation of research paradigms in philosophy and social sciences led by artificial intelligence, aiming to create a benchmark for institutional cooperation.
Signing ceremony of the strategic cooperation agreement between NJU and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
The university has been actively constructing a multi-layered international cooperation framework of "discipline co-construction + talent co-development + research co-research + platform sharing." Joint efforts were made with the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration and Western Returned Scholars Association to establish the Research Base for Innovation in International Discourse and the Center for Studying China's Story. The Jiangsu University International Communication Alliance was co-established with the Provincial Publicity Department, and the Excavated Documents Research Center was co-founded with Oxford University, while the Classical Studies—Cross-Cultural Research Center was jointly established with the École Normale Supérieure in Paris.
Western Returned Scholars Association and NJU jointly hosted theme forum, releasing the "Initiative for Advancing the New Journey of Studying Abroad to Serve the Country."
Under the guidance of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee and Provincial People's Government, and in collaboration with the Jiangsu Provincial Federation of Social Sciences, the "Jiangsu Development High-Level Forum" was continuously held to contribute wisdom and strength to the new practice of Chinese modernization in Jiangsu. The New Think Tank Governance Forum has been held for three sessions, effectively promoting the modernization of think tank governance systems and capabilities.
2. Enhancing the dissemination and influence of Chinese Civilization
The Yangtze River Civilization Origin Research Academic Seminar was organized by NJU. Experts and scholars engaged in discussions on themes such as the multi-disciplinary and cross-regional perspective on tracing the origins of the Yangtze River civilization, protecting, inheriting, and promoting the Yangtze River culture, and the construction of the Yangtze River National Cultural Park, contributing wisdom and strength to the construction of a comprehensive, systematic, and subjective knowledge system of Yangtze River civilization.
The university organized Yangtze River Illustrated History new book release and "National Cultural Park Illustrated History Series" publication symposium, advancing archaeological excavation, historical material sorting, and cultural dissemination to serve the construction of the Yangtze River National Cultural Park.
Yangtze River Illustrated History
The Nanjing Forum have been held for three sessions, with nearly 500 scholars participating, jointly promoting the organic integration of tradition and modernity, and fostering the creation of new forms of human civilization to serve the prosperity and development of the Asia-Pacific region.
Efforts to increase the external translation and dissemination of excellent academic achievements have been intensified. Works such as The History of the Nanjing Massacre was translated into foreign languages. Returning to Heidegger in Japanese, Research on Contemporary China's Visual Culture in English, and Chinese Social Governance in Cyrillic Mongolian have been translated and published. The English edition of China Political Economy continues to be published, and Social Science Journal has been launched overseas. Two part-time professors at NJU, Inaba Koichiro and Stephen Owen, have respectively received the Special Contribution Award for Chinese Books.
In the first three years of the comprehensive implementation of Nanjing University's "Forging Ahead Initiative". The faculty and students in humanities and social sciences have kept in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest expectations for building "the Unique Nanjing University", adhering to the "two combinations," upholding integrity and innovation, and anchoring the mission to serve the "major affairs of the nation". Through three years of meticulous cultivation and quality enhancement, the set goals of the "Forging Ahead Initiative" special program for humantities and social sciences are steadily advancing, key indicators continue to break through, highlighting NJU's academic role and strategic responsibility in promoting high-quality development in philosophy and social sciences.
NJU adheres to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as its guide, based on the blueprint of the "15th Five-Year Plan", implementing the "Forging Ahead Initiative" 2.0 plan, strengthening strategic top-level design and systematic collaboration, accelerating the construction of an independent knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences with emblematic concepts and original theories as its backbone, and striving to be a model in strengthening cultural confidence and telling China's story well.
