Under the theme “Forging the Soul Through Beauty, Embracing the Mission,” the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University organized multiple student social practice teams this winter break, dispatching them to destinations spanning Milan, Italy abroad, and domestically to Hangzhou and Changshan in Zhejiang; Liangshan, Yibin, Dayi, Qionglai, and Emei in Sichuan; Qilian in Qinghai; Anshan in Liaoning; Wulian in Shandong; Lingqiu in Shanxi; Chuzhou in Anhui; and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Academy remains firmly committed to social practice as a vital vehicle for fulfilling its foundational mission of cultivating virtue and nurturing talent, deepening the effectiveness of ideological and political education. Grounded in its distinctive academic and disciplinary strengths, the program centers on four key directions—national conditions awareness, art-driven empowerment, innovation and entrepreneurship, and international exchange—guiding students to strengthen their ideals and convictions, deepen their sense of national identity and patriotism, elevate their professional competencies, and sharpen their sense of mission and responsibility through what the Academy calls “the classroom in motion.”
Domestic Practice: Art Rooted in Community and Culture
Across domestic practice sites, student teams immersed themselves in rural communities, grassroots frontlines, and living cultural landscapes, embedding professional practice within the broader context of national development, local construction, and social need. Their work addressed issues including rural revitalization, cultural heritage preservation, public aesthetic education, and community governance.
For undergraduate students, the emphasis fell on national conditions education—encouraging participants to engage directly with grassroots realities, connect with local communities, and witness firsthand the dynamic unfolding of Chinese-style modernization. This process deepened their understanding of China’s national, social, and civic landscape, and strengthened their conscious commitment to aligning personal growth with the nation’s broader development agenda.
For graduate students, the focus shifted toward innovation and entrepreneurship. Students were encouraged to leverage their specialized expertise to explore pathways for translating cultural resources, integrating art into social contexts, and applying design to serve industry—advancing collaborative innovation and the practical application of academic outcomes.
Leveraging platforms such as Tsinghua University’s Aesthetic Education Workstations, select teams further advanced the normalization of aesthetic resource outreach, local cultural activation, and university-community co-education. Through art, they empowered local cultural communication, spatial development, and public services — producing practice outcomes that combined professional depth, social warmth, and meaningful educational impact. These efforts were covered by People’s Daily, China Organization and Personnel News, and People’s Daily Online, reflecting the Academy’s distinctive approach to educating through beauty, cultivating through culture, and connecting hearts through art.
International Practice: Dialogue, Design, and Cultural Confidence in Milan
On the international front, a student practice team traveled to Milan, Italy, for exchange and research visits. The delegation called on leading academic institutions including Politecnico di Milano and Sapienza University of Rome, cultural venues such as the Pinacoteca di Brera and the Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, as well as international organizations including relevant bodies of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Bank of China Milan Branch.
Discussions centered on design innovation, cultural heritage conservation, and the convergence of digital technology and artistic practice. At the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub, the team hosted the “Dual Olympic City · Youth Rendezvous” —a Winter Olympics cultural exchange exhibition and youth forum that brought together young voices from both nations.
Treating international exchange as a living classroom and professional expression as a bridge, the team cultivated global perspectives, cross-cultural communication skills, and international competency through intercultural dialogue. Their efforts advanced the dissemination of outstanding Chinese culture among youth in ways that are more approachable, resonant, and attuned to the spirit of the times. This was both a vivid demonstration of young students’ cultural confidence and their ability to tell China’s story compellingly to the world—and a concrete action in deploying art and design to support cultural outreach and contribute to building China into a cultural powerhouse. It showcased the spirit of the new generation of fine arts students: globally minded, principled, and creatively bold.
Conclusion: Walking the Land, Answering the Call of the Times
This winter break, students measured the breadth of their homeland and the expanse of the world stage with their own footsteps, responding to the defining questions of the era and the pressing needs of society through their professional practice. In doing so, they were educated, grew in capability, and made meaningful contributions—further demonstrating the unique role of social practice in values-based education.
Through engagement with national realities, students deepened their patriotism and sense of belonging. Through innovative practice, they sharpened their professional skills. Through cross-civilizational exchange, they strengthened their cultural confidence—and came to understand more profoundly the responsibilities and mission that fall to the youth of the new era.
Looking ahead, the Academy of Arts will continue to place social practice at the heart of its mission to cultivate virtue and nurture talent, steadily expanding both the breadth and depth of practice-based education. It will guide young students to “walk alongside beauty”—empowering social development through art, serving the people’s aspiration for a better life, and contributing to the building of a culturally strong nation—as they write an ever-richer chapter of their youth.
