(1) Stick to the purpose and change the school spirit.
Universities should become "places to learn noble knowledge", but at present, students in Peking University are not interested in learning knowledge, they only learn to be officials. Therefore, the first step of Cai Yuanpei's reform of Peking University is to clarify the purpose of the university and create conditions and atmosphere for teachers and students to learn advanced knowledge.
1. Change students' ideas
Cai Yuanpei puts forward three requirements for students: first, he holds a firm purpose; The second is to sharpen virtue; Third, respect teachers, put "holding the purpose" in the first place, require students to hold the purpose of learning from now on, and emphasize the cultivation of students' personality.
2. Reorganize the teaching staff and recruit teachers who are enthusiastic about learning.
Cai Yuanpei adopts the principle of "learning comes first" in the appointment of teachers. Regardless of nationality, qualifications, age and ideological tendency, he must hire scholars who have real talents and practical knowledge, are enthusiastic about teaching, and are interested in and capable of research. Accordingly, on the one hand, he invited experts and scholars with academic achievements and good reputation to teach at Peking University, on the other hand, he resigned some incompetent Chinese and foreign teachers.
3. Carry out research, accumulate books and guide teachers and students to learn.
Cai Yuanpei believes that universities are not only institutions to impart knowledge, but also places to innovate knowledge and promote academic progress. Accordingly, he took the lead in setting up various research institutes in domestic universities, and paid attention to enriching the library collection to create conditions for academic research.
4. Sharpen virtues and cultivate legitimate interests
While instructing Peking University to attach importance to academic research, Cai Yuanpei also tried to advocate moral cultivation among teachers and students. He asked students to sharpen their virtues, love teachers, set up various student organizations and cultivate students' interest. Teachers whose private lives are corrupt and even tempt their students to degenerate are resolutely expelled.
(b) Implement the principle of "freedom of thought and tolerance".
The purpose of a university is to study profound knowledge, but not the knowledge of a certain school, let alone the knowledge designated by some people. "Freedom of thought and inclusiveness" is his basic guiding ideology in dealing with Peking University. At the same time, this principle is also reflected in the appointment of teachers. Cai Yuanpei paid attention to learning philosophy and attracted academic talents, which made the faculty of Peking University present a colorful situation for a while.
This thought embodied Cai Yuanpei's bourgeois nationalism and broke through feudal autocracy, which was positive and progressive at that time.
(C) Professor governance, democratic management
In the University Order 19 12 presided over by Cai Yuanpei, the principle of professor running the school and democratic management was established. However, the reform of management system was really implemented after Cai Yuanpei became the president, which reflected Professor Cai Yuanpei's thoughts of managing universities and democratic management. The purpose is to give the responsibility of promoting the development of the school to professors, so that people who really understand academics can manage the school and manage the new management.
(D) Discipline and teaching system reform
In the reform of discipline and teaching system, Cai Yuanpei took the following measures:
1. Expand arts and sciences and change the concept of "emphasizing skills over learning"
2. Communicate arts and sciences, and set up a department of waste.
3. Change the grade system to the elective system (credit system)
In short, under the leadership of Cai Yuanpei, the reform of Peking University is all-round. The educational thought guided by "freedom of thought and inclusiveness", initiated by Cai Yuanpei, has gradually become Peking University's education and management system, which has put Peking University on the road to a modern university.