An evaluation system of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics should be established based on China’s national conditions, China’s practice and China’s culture. This is an urgent requirement in building an innovation system of philosophy and social sciences at a new historical starting point.

Correct orientation
Compared to natural sciences, humanities and social sciences are connected with specific ideologies and are not a pure knowledge system. China’s humanities and social sciences, which inherit the excellent academic tradition of the Chinese nation, bear the responsibility of serving socialism with Chinese characteristics. They should not only reflect the development trend of the era, but also meet the need of preserving national prosperity and people’s well-being. Any academic research stressing pure knowledge and breaking away from the guidance of ideology will eventually be lost.

Correct political orientation is very important for the academic evaluation system with Chinese characteristics. A sound and mature academic evaluation system must firmly adhere to the value position and explore academic issues with the guidance of right public opinion. Marxism plays a guiding role in China’s academic evaluation. It contributes to the establishment of the innovation system of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics.

Independent spirit and free thoughts should not be rejected while stressing Chinese characteristics of the academic evaluation system. Neither should pursuit of scientific nature in academic research be eliminated by narrow, tough politics and ideology. There must be harmony and unity between scientific and national nature, as well as public opinion guidance and academic standard in the social sciences evaluation system with Chinese characteristic.
　
Academic practice
Some scholars doubt the academic evaluation system with Chinese characteristics. They suggest learning from the Western academic evaluation system, indicating that emphasizing Chinese characteristics of the academic evaluation system is actually lowering the standard of academic evaluation.

Scholars should have an open mindset and break the boundary between China and foreign countries in academic research, highlighting academic globalization. China’s humanities and social sciences should therefore adopt scientific research methods and actively participate in international academic dialogues and competition. However, globalization of academic research doesn’t mean losing native consciousness or blindly following the West.

The eventual goal of China’s native academic studies is to benefit Chinese society. China’s humanities and social sciences must focus on native life and experience in a bid to own long-lasting right of speech and influence. There are differences in academic research between different countries and regions due to their different historical tradition, cultural accumulation and basic national conditions. Just as some scholars deemed, any theory or method is related to concrete issues or phenomena and is an induction and summary of concrete research practice.

Amid the dominance of Western academic discourse, China’s humanities and social sciences should maintain their unique academic character and vitality. We should intensify the openness of thinking and observe Chinese issues from a global perspective. However, we must never abandon pursuit of academic autonomy. The establishment of the discourse system of China’s humanities and social sciences should be centered on China’s path, system, theory, dream and experience.

While stressing Chinese characteristics of the academic evaluation system, we should formulate evaluation standards in accordance with China’s academic situation. Meanwhile, it is also necessary for us to learn from the methods of foreign academic evaluation with the premise of prioritizing our own.

We should build an academic evaluation system with Chinese characteristics based on comparisons with those in other countries or regions. China’s academic evaluation system must reflect the development rule of the era and focus on the requirements of China’s social development, while maintaining its scientific, effective, objective and impartial status. We should closely connect China with the world, achieving innovation and breakthroughs in our academic research and evaluation.

　　
The author is from Luoyang Normal University.

Translated by Yu Hui

Revised by Tom Fearon