Approaches and Practical Exploration: Integrating Curriculum-based Ideological and Political Education into Introduction to Road and Bridge Engineering

Curriculum-based ideological and political education constitutes a pivotal initiative in the new-era reform of higher education. Its essence lies in systematically integrating ideological and political elements into discipline-specific curricula, thereby achieving a synergistic alignment between knowledge impartation and value-oriented guidance. As a core curriculum in road and bridge engineering technology programs, Introduction to Road and Bridge Engineering not only cultivates students’ professional competencies but also fulfills the pedagogical mission of enhancing engineering ethics awareness, social responsibility, and national identity. Based on the curriculum characteristics, this study systematically identifies key ideological and political elements, including engineering ethics, professional accountability, safety awareness, sustainable construction, and national identity, and explores their integration pathways within instructional content, pedagogical methods, and assessment frameworks. Through innovative teaching strategies such as case studies, virtual simulation experiments, and project-based learning, students are guided to comprehend the societal value of engineering technologies through practical engagement, thereby strengthening their sense of responsibility and professional ethics. Empirical evidence demonstrates that the in-depth integration of curriculum-based ideological and political education (CIPE) significantly elevates students’ professional competencies, teamwork skills, and social responsibility awareness. Future efforts should focus on optimizing pedagogical models and deepening CIPE reforms to cultivate high-caliber engineering professionals with innovative spirit, global perspectives, and societal accountability.