Cheng Fangwu dedicated his life to advancing the educational mission of the Communist Party of China and played a pivotal role in shaping the higher education landscape in P. R. China. Through his extensive experience as a university president, he developed a profound and distinct management philosophy that encompassed various aspects, including institutional vision, teaching practices, personnel management, and cultivating a scholarly ethos. As a leader of several universities, Cheng Fangwu advocated for a balanced approach, harmonizing the Party’s unified leadership with democratic university governance. His management practices were deeply rooted in China’s societal context, and he constructed a scientific and systematic educational management system. Cheng Fangwu’s unwavering commitment to education left a rich legacy aligned with the foundational mission of the Communist Party of China. His insights inspire contemporary university administrators to uphold the Party’s political leadership, capitalize on institutional strengths, and promote the development of a management system imbued with an educator’s ethos. This philosophical framework empowers the high-quality development of higher education management thought, propels the modernization of China’s higher education system, and provides historical wisdom for building a robust educational nation.