Enhancing the Quality of University-Led Cultivation of Sports Talent in the New Era

Abstract

This study takes the autonomous cultivation of sports talent as its core topic. It systematically reviews universities’ staged achievements in scale expansion, discipline development, and research capacity, while mapping key bottlenecks such as regional imbalance (the “higher in the east, lower in the west” pattern), the absence of a distinct disciplinary theory and methodology, and the narrowness and weak implementation of training objectives. Methodologically, it employs a literature survey, documentary analysis, and logical analysis to construct an “achievements–problems–pathways” analytical framework. The study proposes three mutually reinforcing optimization pathways:(1) deepen curriculum-embedded ideological and political education, integrating moral cultivation and the sporting spirit so that value guidance and competence development move in sync;(2) adjust training structures and resource allocation to strengthen catch-up efforts in the central and western regions and advance interdisciplinary integration, thereby improving the program portfolio and tiered structure;(3) build a high-level faculty and research community, enhancing innovation capacity and the quality of talent cultivation through international cooperation, practice-oriented research, and well-designed institutional incentives. The study concludes that enhancing the quality of the autonomous cultivation of sports talent is a continuous improvement process that co-evolves with national strategic needs. Guided by the value commitment to educating people for the Party and cultivating talent for the nation, efforts should focus on refining the quality assurance system and strengthening the evidence base, exploring cultivation models with Chinese characteristics, and providing a sustainable supply of talent and knowledge support for building a strong sports nation.