CRI听力: Chinese Universities to Cultivate Talents to Facilitate the Development of Strategic Emerging

The Chinese educational authority has decided to cultivate more talent for the strategic emerging industries, such as green energy and information technology.

The Ministry of Education has issued a notice, requiring universities to apply to teach new undergraduate majors concerning those industries.

Experts applaud the move but also warn against haste in nurturing talent for the emerging industries. Zhao Kun takes a closer look.

Some Chinese universities are now busy with applying for new majors, responding to the Ministry of Education's decision to create talent for the strategic emerging industries.

Huazhong University of Science and Technology, based in central China's city of Wuhan, is no exception.

Xu Xiaodong, who is responsible for academic affairs at the university, explains.

"We will apply for undergraduate majors with regard to the strategic emerging industries. I hope the Ministry of Education can finally grant us the right for the creation of majors like information technology, clean energy and bio-medicines."

Wen Dongmao, an educational expert from Peking University, welcomes this kind of enthusiasm for setting up new majors.

"China is making every effort to develop its strategic emerging industries, like the low-carbon sector. As a result, the development of the industries will need a large amount of talent in the future. It's very good that the Ministry of Education and universities are advancing the establishment of related undergraduate majors."

But Wen Dongmao adds that the new majors should not be hastily established, and applications should be carefully evaluated.

"It takes time to fully establish a new major with regard to strategic emerging industries. Some universities may have been well-positioned to do that. But others may not. So the Ministry of Education should select those qualified universities based on careful evaluation."

Moreover, Wen Dongmao says the government should provide financial support for universities to create necessary conditions, like installing new laboratory equipment, for the new majors.

According to the Ministry of Education, the new disciplines will cover renewable energy, internet, maritime and space exploitation among others.

Approval for teaching the new majors may be given to some universities before the end of April. And they are likely to begin recruiting students in the autumn semester, which starts in September.

Zhao Kun, CRI news.