Measures for Teacher Qualification and Professional Title Evaluation at Religious Schools

Chapter 1 General Provisions

Article 1 These Measures are formulated in accordance with the Regulations on Religious Affairs and other relevant laws and regulations, following the principle of the separation of education and religion and in light of the actual circumstances of religious schools, in order to strengthen the teaching staff of religious schools and raise the level of standardized management at religious schools.

Article 2 “Religious schools,” as used in these Measures, means full-time educational institutions established, in accordance with the Regulations on Religious Affairs and the Measures for the Administration of Religious Schools, by national religious bodies or by religious bodies of provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities directly under the central government, to train religious clergy and other specialized religious personnel.

Article 3 Persons engaged specifically in religious education and teaching at religious schools shall hold the qualification of religious school teacher.

Teacher qualifications and professional titles for institutions of higher education obtained under the Teachers Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Regulations on Teacher Qualifications are applicable at religious schools.

Article 4 Professional titles for religious school teachers are subject to a system of evaluation and appointment (employment).

Professional titles for religious school teachers are divided into teaching assistant, lecturer, associate professor, and professor.

Article 5 The education committee of each national religious body shall set up a working group on teacher qualification at religious schools and a working group on the evaluation of professional titles of religious school teachers, respectively responsible for the teacher qualification of that religion’s religious schools and the evaluation of associate professor and professor titles.

Each religious school is responsible for evaluating the titles of teaching assistant and lecturer at that school.

Article 6 The working group on teacher qualification at religious schools is composed of the relevant leaders of the religious body, lecturers, associate professors, and professors of religious schools, and relevant experts and scholars at the level of associate professor or equivalent or above.

The working group on the evaluation of professional titles of religious school teachers is composed of the relevant leaders of the religious body, associate professors and professors of religious schools, and relevant experts and scholars at the level of professor or equivalent or above.

The lists of members of the working group on teacher qualification and of the working group on the evaluation of professional titles at religious schools are filed by the national religious body with the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Article 7 Teacher qualification and the evaluation of professional titles at religious schools shall adhere to the principles of fairness and standardization, openness and transparency.

Article 8 National religious bodies shall, in accordance with these Measures, formulate detailed implementing rules on teacher qualification and professional title evaluation for the religious schools of their religion, as well as working rules for the working group on teacher qualification and for the working group on professional title evaluation, and file them with the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Article 9 The State Administration for Religious Affairs and the provincial religious affairs departments shall, according to their respective duties, supervise and guide teacher qualification and the evaluation of professional titles at religious schools.

Chapter 2 Qualification

Article 10 An applicant for qualification as a religious school teacher shall meet the following conditions:

(1) Being a citizen of the People’s Republic of China who loves the motherland, abides by the Constitution and the law, consciously implements the Party’s theory, principles, and policies on religious work in the new era, adheres to the direction of the sinicization of religions in China, adheres to the principle of independence and self-governance, is of good ideological and moral character, and is willing to engage in education at religious schools;

(2) Holding an undergraduate education (inclusive) or higher obtained at an institution of higher education, a scientific research institution, or a religious school;

(3) Possessing the professional ethics, basic qualities, and abilities necessary for education and teaching;

(4) Being familiar with national laws, regulations, rules, and policies on religion;

(5) Being able to teach and communicate in the standard spoken and written national language;

(6) Being competent for education and teaching work, including having the corresponding physical and psychological condition.

Article 11 An individual applying for qualification as a religious school teacher submits an application to the religious school at which he or she intends to teach. After review, the religious school applies to the religious body that runs it; that religious body reviews the application, seeks the opinion of the competent supervisory unit, and reports to the working group on teacher qualification at religious schools of that religion.

Those who intend to teach at a national religious school shall apply directly to that national religious school, which reports to the working group on teacher qualification at religious schools of that religion.

Article 12 The working group on teacher qualification at religious schools shall, on the basis of Article 10 of these Measures and in light of the actual circumstances of its religion, determine the materials to be submitted by applicants for qualification as religious school teachers.

Article 13 The working group on teacher qualification at religious schools reviews the qualifications of applicants. For those found to meet the conditions, the working group organizes a qualification examination. Those who pass the examination are issued a religious school teacher qualification certificate by the education committee of the national religious body. The religious school teacher qualification certificate is valid at religious schools nationwide.

The education committee of the national religious body shall, within thirty days after the conclusion of teacher qualification work at religious schools, file the circumstances and results of the qualification work with the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Article 14 Religious school teacher qualifications are subject to a system of periodic review, organized and implemented by the working group on teacher qualification at religious schools.

Chapter 3 Evaluation of Professional Titles

Article 15 An applicant for the title of teaching assistant shall meet the following conditions:

(1) Having obtained a master’s degree (inclusive) or higher at an institution of higher education, a scientific research institution, or a religious school; or having obtained a bachelor’s degree and completed a probationary period of one year or more; or having graduated from an undergraduate program and engaged in teaching for two years or more;

(2) Having mastered basic teaching concepts and methods, and having a proper attitude toward teaching.

Article 16 An applicant for the title of lecturer shall meet the following conditions:

(1) Having obtained a doctoral degree at an institution of higher education, a scientific research institution, or a religious school; or having graduated from a master’s program and served as a teaching assistant for two years or more; or having graduated from an undergraduate program and served as a teaching assistant for four years or more;

(2) Having mastered basic teaching concepts and methods, having solid basic teaching skills, a proper attitude toward teaching, and good teaching results;

(3) Having a certain level of proficiency in a foreign language, classical Chinese, or an ethnic minority language.

Article 17 An applicant for the title of associate professor shall meet the following conditions:

(1) Having obtained a doctoral degree at an institution of higher education, a scientific research institution, or a religious school and served as a lecturer for two years or more, or having served as a lecturer for five years or more;

(2) Being rigorous in scholarship, having fairly rich teaching experience and excellent teaching results, and having achieved outstanding results in teaching and research, curriculum development, and other areas;

(3) Having mastered a foreign language, classical Chinese, or an ethnic minority language;

(4) Having published research papers, advisory reports, or investigative reports of a certain standard, or having written, compiled, or published books or textbooks.

Article 18 An applicant for the title of professor shall meet the following conditions:

(1) Having served as an associate professor for five years or more;

(2) Being rigorous in scholarship, having rich teaching experience and outstanding teaching results, having achieved creative results in teaching and research, curriculum development, and other areas, having developed an educational philosophy and teaching style of some influence, and being able to serve as an exemplar and leader;

(3) Having a skilled command of a foreign language, or being proficient in classical Chinese or an ethnic minority language;

(4) Having published original or high-level research papers, advisory reports, investigative reports, books, and textbooks.

Article 19 Applicants for the evaluation of professional titles shall generally apply level by level according to the hierarchy of titles. Teachers of exceptional standard in teaching, research, or religious learning and practice may apply for professional titles as religious school teachers on an exceptional basis; the specific standards and methods are formulated by the national religious bodies.

Article 20 The working group on the evaluation of professional titles of religious school teachers of each religion shall, on the basis of Articles 15, 16, 17, and 18 of these Measures and in light of the actual circumstances of its religion, determine the materials to be submitted by applicants for professional titles as religious school teachers.

Article 21 The evaluation of the titles of teaching assistant and lecturer is handled by the religious school concerned and filed with the religious body that runs the school and with the competent supervisory unit.

For the evaluation of the titles of associate professor and professor, the religious school gives a preliminary opinion, which is reviewed by the religious body that runs the school after seeking the opinion of the competent supervisory unit, and is then reported to the working group on the evaluation of professional titles of religious school teachers of that religion for evaluation.

For the evaluation of associate professor and professor titles at national religious schools, the school reports directly to the working group on the evaluation of professional titles of religious school teachers of that religion for evaluation.

Article 22 Professional title certificates for teaching assistants and lecturers at religious schools are issued by the religious school concerned. Professional title certificates for associate professors and professors at religious schools are issued by the education committee of the national religious body. Professional title certificates for religious school teachers are valid at religious schools nationwide.

The national religious body shall, within thirty days after the conclusion of evaluation by the working group on the evaluation of professional titles of religious school teachers, file the circumstances and results of the associate professor and professor title evaluations with the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Article 23 The system for appointing (employing) religious school teachers is formulated by each national religious body.

Religious schools that are public institutions shall sign employment contracts with teachers in accordance with the Regulations on Personnel Management of Public Institutions. Religious schools shall promptly file information on the teachers they employ with the religious body that runs the school and with the corresponding government religious affairs department.

Article 24 For religious school teachers who have obtained professional titles under these Measures and are appointed to teach, the funds needed for their salaries and benefits shall be raised and guaranteed by the religious school concerned and the religious body that runs it.

Chapter 4 Supervision and Administration

Article 25 Where a person who has obtained the qualification of religious school teacher falls under any of the following circumstances, the working group on teacher qualification at religious schools that granted the qualification shall revoke his or her qualification as a religious school teacher:

(1) Having received a criminal penalty;

(2) Having violated relevant national laws, regulations, rules, and policies, where the circumstances are serious;

(3) Having obtained the qualification of religious school teacher by fraud or deception;

(4) Poor conduct, academic misconduct, or lack of personal social credit, causing a very bad social impact;

(5) Being a member of the religious clergy whose status as religious clergy has been revoked.

Persons holding teacher qualifications for institutions of higher education who teach at religious schools shall be dealt with by reference to the Teachers Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Regulations on Teacher Qualifications, and other relevant provisions.

A person whose qualification as a religious school teacher has been revoked may not reapply for the qualification of religious school teacher within five years from the date of revocation.

Article 26 Where a professional title as a religious school teacher has been obtained by fraud, the religious school or the working group on the evaluation of professional titles of religious school teachers that evaluated the title shall revoke it, and the person may not reapply for a professional title as a religious school teacher within three years from the date of revocation.

Article 27 Where members of the working group on teacher qualification or of the working group on professional title evaluation at religious schools violate the procedures and provisions for qualification or title evaluation, the national religious body shall, according to the seriousness of the circumstances, order them to make corrections or disqualify them from membership of the working group, and declare invalid the results of any qualification or evaluation made in violation of the rules.

Where the working group on teacher qualification or the working group on professional title evaluation at religious schools violates the procedures and provisions for qualification or title evaluation, the national religious body shall, according to the seriousness of the circumstances, order it to make corrections within a set time limit, suspend qualification or evaluation work, or reorganize the working group, and declare invalid the results of any qualification or evaluation made in violation of the rules.

Chapter 5 Supplementary Provisions

Article 28 Religious school teacher qualification certificates and professional title certificates for religious school teachers are printed by the respective national religious bodies and are valid within the religious community.

Article 29 For persons who take part in the evaluation of professional and technical titles under the relevant national measures for the assessment of professional and technical qualifications, their qualification, title-related benefits, and the like shall be handled in accordance with relevant national provisions and fall outside the scope of these Measures.

Teacher qualification and professional title evaluation at Tibetan Buddhist schools shall be carried out by reference to these Measures, in light of the actual circumstances of Tibetan Buddhist work.

Article 30 The State Administration for Religious Affairs is responsible for interpreting these Measures.

Article 31 These Measures shall take effect on January 1, 2025. The Measures for Teacher Qualification, Professional Title Evaluation, and Appointment at Religious Schools (Trial) promulgated by the State Administration for Religious Affairs on November 5, 2012, are repealed at the same time.